Ashes to Ashes
by FortressMaximus
Summary: NEW CHAPTER! 6-05-08 After a horrific attack by Dark Kat, MegaKat city tries to return to normal despite crippling losses. But destiny & fate have something else in mind--something that will change the lives of Callie, Felina and Ulysses forever!
1. Chapters One and Two: Ashes to Ashes and...

Authors Notes:   
  
1) Hello everyone! First off..this ain't Digimon! (smile). This fanfic is based off the  
show hopefully you will remember as Swat Kats: The Radical Squadron. This story is..oh,   
about 3 years old and to be up front it's still not finished. This muse has for the most   
part deserted BUT I sincerely hope that if even a few people want me to finish it that   
I can rise to the challenge once again. I haven't changed anything from the original   
posted at The Swat Kat fanfic archive.   
  
2) Disclaimer: I don't own the Swat Kats. Hanna-B does, as does Ted  
Turner. I'm not making a dime off this project. It is for personal  
enjoyment only by fans of Swat Kats.   
  
3) Special Disclaimer: I do not own or possess the rights to the character known   
in part 2 as 'Merklyn'. However, I can not reveal the proper owner of that   
name or the mythos the character is involved in w/o giving away some significant   
potential plot points. Suffice it to say that if your reading this and DO own the   
rights, you will receive full credit when the story is completed. Thank you for not  
suing. :)  
  
4) Note of Thanks: To Don Redmond for some invaluable proofreading and   
being a pretty nifty sounding board. Thanks to Jade Callan for letting me use   
the character of Sami Higgins in this 'fic  
  
5) EXTRA special note: There are also thanks for one person who is not a member of the SK  
universe but his writing has inspired me beyond count in the past few years. If you like  
furry fanfic, or just great writing in general please go to www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Studio/7847/kcfanfic.html.   
This is the Kit Cloudkicker Home Page which is based on the Disney show Talespin. The  
entire site is really nice, and the fanfic page contains many great writers, but Dan  
Green is without a doubt one of the best writers of 'fic that I have ever read. Please  
check out his stuff as it is incredible. Some of it has left me shaking after reading. It's THAT good  
  
6) Again, I'm sorry for not posting more of 'Pillow Talk' and 'Of Crests and Planets'. They are coming tho. I promise! I just need a little more time to sort some plot points out!  
  
Please enjoy!!  
F_M  
  
SwatKats:Ashes to Ashes  
  
  
Part One  
  
"Friends, we are gathered here today to honor two Kats who gave  
their lives in the service of the Goddess above to protect others from  
evils so vast...."  
  
Calico Briggs sat in the front row of the service, the chilly fall  
day no longer a bother as she lost herself in her misery filled  
thoughts. The pastors' kind words faintly echoed in her mind as the  
grief in her heart would not be ignored. Unbidden thoughts flooded her  
memory as she recalled each time both she and the city had been saved  
by those receiving their final respects today.  
  
*Now what would they do? Who would protect those who could not  
protect themselves??* Questions like this attacked her conscience over  
and over as she felt the tears beginning to swell. She tried to be  
strong since..that day, not just for herself but for all of MegaKat  
city as well. Faced now with the ultimate farewell, her tears broke  
free and drenched her fur in sadness.  
  
Felina put a comforting hand on Callie's paw, trying to let the  
kat draw strength from her, but to no avail. Misery almost tangible  
seemed to set in over Callie as the pastor kept lauding those they  
were here to release from the mortal coil. Felina felt the same as  
Callie looked; like part of her soul was gone. Her enforcer training  
was of little use at times like this; how do you keep memories from  
tearing apart mental defenses already ravaged by guilt for not doing  
more and despair when you saw the results of your failure? Felina had  
no answers so she did all she could and held Callie's paw and provide  
what support she could.  
  
'A-men...." echoed the gathered Kats. It was amazing how various  
the gathered mourners were; so-different lifestyles that only an event  
this terrible could bind them together in a common sorrow. Homeless  
kats stood next to some of the most wealthy kats in the city.  
Enforcers stood next to several gang members a week before they might  
have taken in for questioning; now they stood like brothers sharing a  
common grief.  
  
Felina looked up as the pastor glanced at Callie and quietly  
stepped off to the side, smoothing her robes. Felina leaned over and  
whispered into Callie's ear.."It's time.."  
  
Callie nodded and with the last of her will forced her tears..her  
sorrow..her anger down into the pit of her being and with the grace of  
a warrior-born she walked up to the small podium to address the  
assembled Kats.  
  
"They say that..death is not an end..but the beginning of a new  
life. That what we leave behind is more important than than how we  
leave. If this is true, then these two gentlekats have left a legacy  
that will never be forgotten by MegaKat city nor by the world. No  
matter how much time passes or what transpires, I vow that the memory  
of the Swat Kats will live forever in our hearts and our history."  
  
Callie and the assembled Kats looked at the two beautiful rosewood  
coffins as they were slowly lowered into the ground. Callie began to  
feel her resolve crumble at the sight and shakily walked off stage to  
be met by Felina.The acting mayor sat down as Felina glanced over at  
her Uncle Ulysses, who nodded slightly at his niece.  
  
"Enforcers..ten-hut!" the Enforcer commander crisply ordered.  
  
All the Enforcers assembled went to immediate attention, ramrod  
straight, eyes focused like a hawks' on the descending caskets. Seven  
enforcers in particular watched both the grave site and their  
commander, who after a few moment turned and addressed the honor  
guard.  
  
"Weapons ready!"  
  
The seven Enforcers raised their laser rifles towards the heavens  
and unlocked the safeties. The other raised their right paw and  
saluted the two Kats who had saved MegaKat city at the ultimate cost.  
  
"Fire!"  
  
Seven bright red shots lanced into the early evening sky,  
dispersing after about 30ft. The seven stood ready again.  
  
"Fire!"  
  
Again, the lances of light escaped into the sky.  
  
"Fire!"  
  
As the last barrage faded, the seven stood down as Feral turned  
back to face the two caskets that symbolized his former foes. Felina  
tried to read her uncle but even on her best day she could only get  
surface impressions; and this was far from her best day. She watched  
him walk over to the plot and did something she never would have  
expected.  
  
He saluted.  
  
After a few moments Feral ended the salute and nodded slightly to  
the two caskets-perhaps as a final guest ure of respect-and turned and  
walked back to his line of Enforcers.  
  
"Dismissed."  
  
The honor guard marched back to the rear of the crowd and Feral  
noticed that most of his troops were still saluting the two heroes.  
  
Slowly the pastor took to the podium, her soft red hair waiving in  
the cool evening breeze. As she looked out over the crowd she could  
almost see the sadness that permeated those assembled. "My friends.."  
she began.."Never forget the lessons that Razor and T-Bone have passed  
on to us. Each of us has a duty to protect those who can not defend  
themselves. To ignore that duty is to ignore everything they  
sacrificed their lives for. But, if those lessons are remembered in  
our hearts then their spirit will live on in each of us, and for that  
we are all a little better person." She paused slightly .."This  
service is concluded."  
  
The universe seemed to stop for as each assembled were still lost  
in their own thoughts. Then..slowly..the mourners scattered- some went  
by the caskets to pay their respects one final time while others left,  
unable to cope any further.  
  
Ulysses Feral walked over to a distraught Calico Briggs. Felina  
was helping her into the limo waiting to take her home. Feral glanced  
at his niece, wanting to say some words of comfort but he had none to  
give.  
  
Many thought (according to rumor anyway) that Feral wouldn't be  
here today due to his hatred of the Swat Kats. Other rumors spoke of  
him actually celebrating when he found out about the crash of the  
Turbokat. Commander Feral sighed, wishing to be free of all the lies  
and half-truths about him but decided that today was not the day to  
press the matter. His formal announcement that the Enforcers were  
taking drastic steps to protect MegaKat city at this time of mourning  
was enough to keep his nay-sayers at bay for a little while. In the  
meantime he had other important duties to perform. Turning to go to  
his own car, Feral glanced back at the grave site as two helpkats  
started filling in the plots.  
  
**Ashes to Ashes..dust to dust** echoed the old saying in Feral's  
mind. He stepped into the car and waited for Felina and Calico to get  
in. A few moments later the limo took off for Calico's condo as  
Feral's car took up point behind the limo to provide protection for  
the acting Mayor. Feral made a mental note to call the hospital to  
check on Mayor Manx's condition. It would be several days, possibly a  
week, before the doctors said he should come out his coma.  
  
Most of the mourners let Callie's limo go first, then Feral's car.  
As they left the cemetery Felina saw hundreds of katizens lined up  
along the main route holding flowers, crosses, pictures of the two  
departed heroes. Callie just stared out the window not seeing any of  
it as her thoughts were on the future, and how bleak it would be  
without her friends in it.  
  
Miles from the cemetery, several other kats gathered to watch Ann  
Gora's live feed of the funeral. As the TV signal flickered off and on  
from being pulled a mile underground there was a stunned silence as  
the image of the caskets came onto the screen. Then..all of a  
sudden...  
  
"Yea!!" yelled one voice.  
  
"Interessssting!!" commented another.  
  
"All Right..ventalted Swat Kat! Best show on TV!"  
  
"SILENCE!" bellowed the final voice.  
  
Hard Drive, Dr. Viper, and the Metalikats froze in place as Dark  
Kat fixed them all with a glare that could melt an iceberg. "You  
fools! While we are celebrating the Enforcers are making plans to  
strengthen their defenses. They *know* we will be coming sooner or  
later now that their precious Swat Kats are gone!. "  
  
"Ah, relax DK" grinned Hard Drive. "There's nothing the Enforcers  
can do to the four of us..and besides, we've all been waiting for a  
LONG time to get them Swat Kats outta our hair. So if you wanna sit  
there and worry about Feral and the rest of his lackeys go ahead.  
We're" he nodded to the other gathered villains "gonna enjoy the  
victory." Hard Drive turned away from Dark Kat and begin to talk to  
the Metalikats on a plan they had stitched together to go after the  
MegaKat gold reserve.  
  
"Sssssooo Hard Drive..." Viper grinned.."You think the Ssssswat  
Katssss are gone for good?" His tone implied that he found it hard to  
believe that his hated foes were so easily finished. "They never found  
the bodiessss remember? Just the ssshattered remains of their  
accursssed jet. And for all we know thissss could be a trap ssset by  
them and Feral!" Viper's plantammals hissed and growled in agreement  
with their creators' observation.  
  
Before the techno-villain could reply Mac Mange piped up.. "You  
know Viper..you could get that speech impediment fixed..maybe some  
fertilizer would help!" Mac and Mollie both laughed as Viper's face  
contorted into a mask of hate.  
  
"Get them my pretties!!" snarled Viper to his assorted mutates.  
  
"No way!" shouted the metallic Bonnie and Clyde. Leveling their  
built-in arm lasers, they aimed for Vipers' killer flytraps as they  
approached, drool oozing out of their mouths.  
  
"ENOUGH!" yelled Dark Kat as a torrent of energy escaped from his  
cane, enveloping the (literally) stunned villains. Viper's plantammals  
screamed in agony as Mac, Molly and Viper too withered in the electric  
field before it stopped. "Now..do I have your /complete/ cooperation,  
or do I need to give you another reminder of my power?!" the  
super-villain looked around the room, eyes glowing a fearful crimson  
red. There was no dissension this time. "Excellent ..now come to my  
war room and we will plan the destruction of Feral and the Enforcers.  
They won't know what hit them!"  
  
The other villains carefully followed Dark Kat into the adjoining  
cavern as the evil overlord's laugh echoed through the air.  
  
Fire. Smoke. Falling. Falling. Laughter ringing in your ears as  
you plummet to the earth in a ball of fire. No weapons.  
Eject..Eject..Eject. No..no good. Falling..falling..ground..coming  
up..too fast..too..  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!"  
  
Callie sat up, screaming into the room as her nightmare shook her  
awake for the 5th time in a row this week. She was drenched in sweat  
and her fur was matted together, tangled beyond belief. For the  
longest time she sat in bed, gasping to catch her breath. Soon her  
breathing approached normal and with it being almost 4 am sleep would  
not be an option any further this morning. Shakily, she got out of bed  
and made her way down the hall, the floor creaking as she staggered  
along in the dim moonlight.  
  
Reaching the kitchen Callie flicked on the coffee pot and leaned  
against the smooth white Formica top, still shivering at the images  
that refused to let her sleep. It was getting to the point her job was  
beginning to suffer and that just couldn't continue. She was snapping  
at people, ordering them around like she was Ahab from Moby Kat.  
Yesterday was the worse when David Steele came into her office and  
wanted to create a special Enforcer division to take the place of the  
Swat Kats. Callie had rallied against the idea and it took her  
secretary and Felina (who had been visiting on unrelated Enforcer  
business) to hold her back from ripping Steele's throat out. Callie  
was protected by Felina's threat of telling her uncle about Steele's  
little end-run around standard Enforcer procedure and not telling  
Commander Feral first.  
  
Callie poured her coffee and stared at it for the longest time  
before finally taking a sip. The black liquid rushed down her throat,  
sighing softly as it hit her stomach. Feeling marginally better she  
sat down at the table and stared out the bay window as the pale moon  
slowly sank below the horizon. She wondered what this day would bring  
and would she be able to handle it all one more time.  
  
It was later that same morning when Felina Feral stepped into her  
Uncle's office to report for a new duty assignment. She assumed it  
would be working on updating the computerized defense link between  
Pumadyne and Enforcer HQ. What she got however...  
  
"Uncle..with all due respect..are you sure about this? I should be  
here with you and the others helping take up the slack.."  
  
Ulysses Feral looked up at his niece and saw the shocked look on  
her face. Truth be told he expected as much and wasn't surprised when  
Felina started to object but he held up his left paw and stood up  
smoothly. "Felina..this is as necessary right now as you being on the  
front lines. Ms. Bri..sorry..Mayor Briggs is under a lot of pressure  
and she doesn't need another kidnapping anytime soon. I want you to be  
her personal bodyguard. You go where she goes and it will stay that  
way until Mayor Manx is able to assume his duties or an emergency  
forces me to pull you off that assignment."  
  
Felina opened her mouth to try to change his mind and saw that it  
would be pointless to argue further. She went back to full  
attention.."Understood Commander."  
  
"Dismissed Lieutenant."  
  
Felina turned and walked out of the office. Feral sat down and  
went back to his paperwork but his mind was now a million miles away.  
  
Calico Briggs stood at the window of her new office staring at the  
damaged city. Dark Kat's rampage before the end had been brutal, even  
by his standards. Buildings were sheared off at horrible angles;  
skyscrapers that had withstood powerful earthquakes were now full of  
holes from laser blasts that obliterated anything they came in contact  
with. MegaKat bridge had been cleaved in half so completely that  
ferries were being used to cross Megakat sound so commuters could  
travel to work and home. Yet despite all this damage, all the loss of  
life that had accompanied it, her heart still ached for two Kats now  
gone forever from her life.  
  
Forcing her grief back down she looked away from the desolation  
and looked at the desk. Paperwork was strewn all over; everything from  
requests for emergency funds to the more normal petitions for council  
meetings lay in wait for her. There seemed to be no end of tasks that  
crossed her desk and each day they seemed to multiply. All morning she  
fought her way through the various piles until she finally had to take  
a break. But looking out the window couldn't help her, not this time.  
It could only remind her of the agony she and her city was in. She  
needed to talk to someone who could help her see things she might be  
missing. Someone who would tell her what she had to hear, not what she  
/wanted/ to hear. She needed...  
  
"Jake and Chance" she said out loud not realizing it. They would  
help her sort through it all. Quickly she called the garage, having  
had enough repair work done there to memorize the number by heart. It  
was still right before lunch, and normally the guys should in outside  
in the bay.  
  
"No answer? That's strange." Callie re-dialed and let the phone  
ring 10 times and still there was no answer. Not liking that at all  
she hung up and grabbed her purse, heading out the door.  
  
"Marylin, I'm taking an early lunch" she told the young Siamese  
Kat who was filling in for Manx's' normal secretary. "I'll be back by  
1:00 but if an emergency comes up you've got my cell number right?"  
  
Marylin smiled, her narrow eyes twinking.."Of course. Can I assume  
that an emergency would be nothing less than the moon falling out of  
the sky?"  
  
Callie nodded..."That's a pretty good definition. Just let me know  
if.."  
  
Marylin grinned.."Go to lunch ma'am. If the moon falls out of the  
sky or I see a flying pig I'll call you at once!" The lithe she-kat  
laughed, making Callie smile for the first time in over a week.  
  
"Thanks. See you soon.." and she left for the elevator as Marylin  
picked up the phone.  
  
"Mayors' office. No, Mayor Briggs is in a crucial meeting and can  
not be disturbed. May I take a message...?" Marylin smiled as Callico  
disappeared into the elevator.  
  
Felina hung up the phone and sighed. "Crucial meeting my furry  
tail. How can I protect her if I can't find.." Wait...if she was using  
the limo from the funeral, Felina had had left a homing tracer in the  
car purposely in case something happened on the way from the service.  
"Dumb luck strikes again.." muttered the Enforcer and switched on her  
car's autotracker, blinking as the signal was coming in loud and  
clear, but from the opposite side of town. The only thing out that was  
the salvage yard. "Maybe her car's busted again.." Felina wondered to  
herself and decided that there was only one way to find out. Doing a  
quick U-turn, she ignored the horns and glares of surrounding drivers  
and hit Highway 29 to get to the yard as fast as she could.  
  
Meanwhile, as Felina was heading to the salvage yard, Dark Kat and  
his assembled peers stared at the holo-projection being emitted from  
the center computer console as they finalized their plans. Shown was  
Puma- dyne, Megakat Biochemical and a new company called MegaTron  
Labs.  
  
"Then it's agreed! Hard Drive and the MetaliKats will launch a  
diversionary attack on Pumadyne while Dr. Viper uses his creations to  
do the same to Megakat Biochemical. This will split the Enforcers up  
so they won't be able to stop me from raiding MegaTron for the  
experimental antimatter." Dark Kat looked around the room and waited  
for someone to disagree. No one did, each remembering the earlier  
display of force and not wanting a repeat.  
  
"We ssstill keep whatever we obtain during our attackssss..correct  
Dark Kat?? I will not loossse Kataylist 69 again. With it, my  
plantammalsss will be resssistant to temperature extremes. Nothing  
will ssstand in my way!" Viper glared at Dark Kat, fully expecting a  
double-cross but needing to put up with him and the others until he  
had his necessary chemical safe in his swamp hideout.  
  
"Of course my dear doctor! Just like Hard Drive and the Metalkats  
can keep whatever they take from Pumadyne. The main objective of our  
attacks is to allow me time to get the antimatter and return here to  
finish my Nega-Bomb. Then..and only then..will we dissolve our  
partnership and I will finish off the Enforcers once and for all!"  
  
The Metalikats didn't believe a word of it, nor did Hard Drive.  
But Dark Kat's plan made sound tactical sense. So all nodded in  
agreement and each planned the best time to overthrow Dark Kat and  
rule MegaKat city for themselves.  
  
"Then let us prepare. We shall have a little more than three weeks  
before my new airship is complete, and the best projections show Feral  
two weeks behind that in preparing for such a multi-pronged attack."  
Dark Kat turned around and looked out the mouth of the cave towards  
Megakat City.."Your time is running out Feral..use it wisely!!" and  
the madman's' echoing laugh filled the air once more.  
  
Callie was out of the limo before the driver could even open his  
door. Grabbing her purse she started to walk into the lobby when the  
driver ..some guy named Harry..started to walk in behind her.  
  
"No..this is something I'll take care of. Head on back to city  
hall and I'll take a cab later..." Callie said with enough authority  
that he knew objecting would be pointless unless he wanted to enjoy  
possible unemployment in his near future.  
  
"Of course Mayor. " was the simple reply and he got back into the  
luxurious white automobile and backed out the driveway far enough to  
do a 180* and swerve around the dump truck pulling into the lot.  
Reaching the highway he had to dodge some crazy she-kat in a gray  
sedan that looked a lot like...  
  
Harry took a double take and realized who the 'crazy' she-kat was  
and smiled as she turned into the salvage yard. Picking up the phone  
nestled in the console before him, Harry dialed a number and listened  
for a moment.  
  
"Feral here."  
  
"Commander, it's Harry Snow. The Mayor just had me drop her off at  
the salvage yard and Felina just pulled in a few moments ago."  
  
"Understood. Continue to pose as her chauffeur until you hear  
otherwise and be sure Felina doesn't spot you."  
  
"No problem sir. Returning to city hall. Snow out." Setting the  
phone back in its cradle Harry veered around potholes and construction  
barricades as he quietly wished for the simple life of a beat kat.  
  
Callie wondered into the repair bay and looked around for a few  
moments. Neither Jake or Chance were in the garage. She half expected  
to find one or both of them buried under a hood but there was no sign  
of them. Several cars looked like they were in the process of being  
repaired but they appeared far from finished. Walking over, Callie saw  
tools laying on the engine blocks, as if the boys had been whisked  
away by magic right in the middle of fixing the automobiles.  
  
Ignoring the ball of uneasiness in her stomach Callie moved to the  
office and tried the door. It was unlocked, and she decided to go  
in..."Chance..Jake? Anyone home??"  
  
Dead silence was the reply.  
  
Walking a bit further she noticed the door leading from the office  
to their...well, house was took kind and shack was a bit too  
rude..dwelling (*close enough* she thought) ajar, she peeked into the  
living room and called again.."Jake..Chance..are you home??"  
  
Perking up her ears Callie felt her heart lighten when she heard  
voices in the other room but it quickly turned into false hope as she  
realized it was only the TV. Turning to go back to the living room she  
noticed the blinking VCR clock. Moving over, she saw the power had  
surged recently, knocking out the settings. Curious as to why they  
hadn't fixed the programming, Callie loaded the tape into the player  
and hit the rewind button. Seconds later she hit play and watched.  
  
'Scardy Kat's 24 hour marathon will continue after these short  
messages from our sponsors!' came the over-caffinated voice of the  
announcer.  
  
Now Callie was really confused. That marathon was on over a week  
ago! Stopping the tape, she turned the TV off and went back to the  
living room. Callie looked around the room and shook her head.  
  
*Something isn't right..this doesn't make any sense* Callie mused  
as the pieces didn't fit together. She fumbled in her purse and tried  
to find a sheet of paper and a pen to leave the guys a note. Finding  
both, she began to pull them out when something caught her eye: her  
Swat Kat communicator. It was only now, after seeing it buried in  
depths of her purse, did she realized it was still in her possession.  
Feeling that bit of uneasiness grow she again ignored it and went to  
put the now useless device back. Suddenly a truck horn sounded in the  
distance, the shrill noise startling her enough to where she  
accidentally pressed the button.  
  
A few seconds later Callie's world fragmented as all hell broke  
loose around her.  
  
A few minutes before Callie's world finally collapsed, Lieutenant  
Felina Feral was having a few choice words (none of them very  
ladylike) with two dump-truck junkkats that had blocked the entire  
driveway leading into the salvage yard.  
  
Slamming the door upon her departure from the squad car, Felina  
stalked up to the two kats who were smiling at her predicament.  
"Listen..I'm on Enforcer business so move this truck /right now/ or  
I'll have it towed and you tossed into the deepest hole I can find for  
obstruction of a city officer in her duties!" Felina poked Burke's  
chest for emphasis on the final couple of words, but the kat looked  
far from impressed.  
  
"Ah, lower the volume sister! We gotta dump this scrap and we were  
told by Commander Feral himself that we stay on schedule and get the  
mess Dark Kat left cleaned up by the end of the week or we'll both  
have our tails in a sling! So nothing you can do can get me to stop in  
the middle of ..what..are you doing??" Burke started to pale slightly  
as he saw Felina pull her blaster and aim it at his left shoulder.  
Both he and his partner Murry started to raise their hands and sputter  
almost in synch "Oh..okay, you ..you've made you point...."  
  
Felina fired twice, the shots ringing through the yard. For the  
longest time the echo bounced around the front half of the yard, but  
muffled from the back half by the car compactor that was ending the  
life of a badly mistreated Kugo. The blaster shot was no match for the  
mechanical crusher and the main house and garage was spared the echo  
of the weapons fire. Burke and Murry wasn't so lucky; at least, their  
milk cans weren't. The two containers sitting on the bumper of the  
truck became metal Swiss cheese as their refreshing liquid sputtered  
to the ground.  
  
"I hope I have..'gentlemen..' . Drinking in public is a jail able  
offense guys. If you move this heap../NOW/..I must might forget I saw  
all this." Felina smiled ever so slightly and waited for the guys to  
decide.  
  
"Of course we'll move Lieutenant. right away!" The pair couldn't  
get to their truck fast enough and seconds after the bed had locked  
into the down position, the two rumbled out of the lot as quickly as  
possible. In anger, Murry jerked the horn at the she-kat as they  
rounded the corner. This time, the car crushed wasn't running and the  
horn filled the entire lot with it's shrill call.  
  
Smiling as the two sped off Felina coughed as their exhaust  
rumbled past her in the breeze. Shaking off the fumes, Felina got in  
her car and pulled up to the garage. Mentally, she /knew/ she wasted  
too much time with those sorry excuses for tom-kats. For an Enforcer,  
every moment could be the one each never wanted to face: that one  
second where life turned to death, where hope turned to tragedy.  
Felina silently vowed that this would not be the case, not this time.  
  
Exiting her car as quickly as possible, she jogged up to the  
repair bay. She called into the garage "Mayor Briggs? Are you  
here..it's Lieutenant Feral."  
  
The only reply was the soft wail of a not-too-distant alarm, very  
similar to the emergency siren at the Enforcer barracks.  
  
Felina walked over to the door to the lobby and eased in, her  
weapon at the ready. Using what cover there was she slipped to the  
inner door frame and stood still. After a minute of visually checking  
the situation, the lithe she-kat tumbled into the room and came out of  
her crouch aiming at the darkened figure sitting on the floor. The  
alarm was louder in here than outside, but still deeply muffled. The  
figure didn't seem to notice-or sense- Felina's presence at all.  
  
"Freeze! Enforcers!" came the order as Felina kept her weapon  
aimed at the figure on the floor.  
  
Whoever it was, words had no effect. Slowly Felina heard another  
sound mixed with the background noise: soft, sobbing whimpers.  
  
Tense seconds passed as Felina began to realize that her 'burglar'  
was none other than Calico Briggs herself! Blinking as if to believe  
her eyes, she walked over to the kneeling form of her charge as she  
holstered her pistol.  
  
"Callie? It's Felina Feral. Are you okay?"  
  
*Of course she's not okay* Felina chided herself for not having a  
more original question to start with. Leaning over, she gingerly put  
her hand on Callie's left shoulder, shocking the distraught Mayor into  
attentiveness long enough to turn around.  
  
Felina gasped as she saw Callie's state-her fur was matted and  
knotted as her normally clear and focused eyes were puffy from the  
sobbing that had proved to be overwhelming. Her clothes were askew; as  
if she had lost all care about personal appearance. It was almost like  
something had shattered her will and this battered husk was all that  
remained of the young lady that Felina (among many others) had come to  
admire and respect for her courage and bravery under fire.  
  
Felina would be the first one to admit she didn't know Callie as  
well as she wanted, but her duties as an Enforcer came before any  
personal relationships. Felina silently vowed once they got past this  
time of grief, that would change. Her thoughts snapped back to the  
current situation as Callie fixed her eyes into the Enforcer.  
  
Clutching the communicator, Callie jerked away from the reassuring  
hand Felina tried to give. Finding her voice she spat at  
friend..."Don't you see..don't you understand?! It's my fault! It's  
all my fault!! I killed them..I killed them all!!" Callie almost  
shrieked as she attempted to stagger to her feet, trying to run from  
both Felina and the guilt of what she caused was now doubled against  
her broken heart.  
  
"Who Callie..who did you.. kill??" Felina asked softly. She knew  
Callie could never kill anyone; her heart told her that much. But to  
see Callie like this.. teetering on the brink of emotional  
shutdown..was something she never expected to see in this life.  
Mentally she braced herself for the answer.  
  
"Don't you see!? I killed the Swat Kats!"  
  
"You have got to be joking!" startled Feral, looking up accross to  
the kat sitting to his right.  
  
"Not at all Commander Feral, although I wish I was for all our  
sakes. The tests are far from perfect; that much I'll admit. But every  
logical course of reasoning suggests that Ms. Briggs might be heading  
for a nervous collapse."  
  
Feral looked at Dr. Katzenberg, shaking his head. "I know your the  
most respected neurologist in the city Doctor, but I have known Mayor  
Briggs for several years and find it hard to believe that after little  
more than a week in office your ready to admit her to Megakat Memorial  
Hospital's special care wing." Feral silently fumed; this was the  
/LAST/ thing he wanted..or needed..to hear. In addition to beefing up  
security at Pumadyne and MegaKat Biochem, there was that new place  
called MegaTron that requested Enforcer presence to support its  
in-house security team. The Enforcers were stretched to their limit  
and he had no time to worry about committing the acting Mayor..no  
matter how brief a period..to a ward at Megakat Memorial. **Besides,  
no matter how much I might have disagreed with her support of the Swat  
Kats in the past, she is the best person to keep this city together  
long enough for my Enforcers to be where they need to be.**  
  
Thomas Katzenberg was a small Persian, nearly pure white with only  
a touch of gray tuff at his wrists. Pushing his horn rimmed glasses up  
on his nose, he quietly he studied Feral, letting the Enforcer study  
his options. The Doctor's mind drifted to how this whole mess started.  
After Mayor Manx was brought to the hospital for a concussion  
sustained when the Turbokat collided with Dark Kat's flying fortress,  
he did a complete physical on Calico Briggs-as procedure dictated-  
when a new mayor was put into office. Those first batch of tests were  
to be used as baseline comparisons against any later tests to see if  
the pressures of office were adversely affecting the health of the  
acting Mayor.  
  
"Are you sure about this Doctor?" Feral's voice cut into  
Katzenberg's mental review.  
  
"As sure as I can be with this most recent test. The one week  
follow-up, again as required by city law, shows a 43% increase in  
several brain chemicals." He chose to forgo the more clinical details  
of Calico's tests as he knew Feral's penchent for obtaining needed  
information without unnecessary tangents. "The chemicals in question  
were expected to rise; that much we knew. But 43%? Before now,  
anything above 29% was unheard of. In addition, her white blood cell  
count is down- an expected sign of intense stress- but again, the  
downward turn was much greater than expected."  
  
"How much?" queried Feral.  
  
"Nearly 63%. At this point Commander, the common cold could put  
her out of commission for month. If she got the flu, it could well be  
fatal under certain conditions."  
  
"Fatal!?" Feral looked stunned.  
  
"Those are extreme cases commander, but they are entirely  
possible. The basic problem boils down to this: some type of external  
or internal stress is causing her body to react in adverse ways.  
Something about this whole affair is affecting her in ways we can't  
begin to understand. All we have to go by is the final result- she  
either takes time off and defeats whatever this problem is, or we're  
forced to get her professional help at MegaKat Memorial. Either way, a  
new acting Mayor will need to be appointed, as per city charter."  
  
"Doctor, what your telling me is that Ms. Briggs is heading for a  
nervous collapse and that if we don't help her, we will need to remove  
her from office??" Feral summed up the conservation, still unable to  
believe the route the Doctor was suggesting if worse came to worse.  
  
"There is one other problem Commander Feral."  
  
"Great! What's that?" the exasperated Enforcer snapped.  
  
Ignoring the tone of the reply, Katzenberg continued..."According  
to amendment N.C.C 1701 subsections 'A-E' of the Megakat city  
charter," he paused, trying to remember the exact wording. He  
couldn't, so he paraphrased: "In the event that both Mayor and  
Deputy-Mayor are unable to perform their duties, the city council  
shall appoint an interim Mayor until such time either the Mayor or  
Deputy Mayor can resume those duties..."  
  
Feral frowned..."Let me guess: they've already chosen a  
replacement and it's up to me to inform him or her when we go ahead  
and remove Ms. Briggs." It was a task Feral didn't relish. He had too  
much going to play errand boy to a city council that already bound his  
paws enough. If they chose someone in-line with their past policies,  
then Feral would be in a lose-lose situation without Calico Briggs to  
back him up; a habit she had recently developed and one he would like  
for her to keep.  
  
Suddenly the intercom buzzed and Feral leaned over slightly and  
flicked the 'talk' switch "Feral here. What is it?"  
  
"Call for Doctor Katzenberg on line two sir. It's Megakat  
Memorial."  
  
Thomas looked at Feral and picked up the receiver. "Katzenberg  
here. What's the..." he stopped, apparently the party on the other end  
insistent on relaying the information with all due haste. After a few  
seconds the doctor blanched. "We'll be right there!" and was reaching  
for his briefcase before the phone hit the cradle.  
  
Katzenberg looked over at Feral (who had apparently picked up on  
the 'we' part) as he secured his shoulder holster and the heavy  
blaster pistol it contained.  
  
"What's up doctor?" Feral inquired as he slipped on his overcoat,  
buttoning it up to his neck.  
  
"I'm afraid our previous conversation in possibilities just became  
fact Commander. Your niece brought Callico into Megakat Memorial a few  
minutes ago unconscious. Both of them looked like there were in a  
serious fight." Katzenberg was already out the office door as Feral  
took four strides and caught up.  
  
"What's their prognosis? Any signs of what occurred" Feral tried  
to hide his worry about his niece, but to anyone who was a parent-like  
Thomas-it was as clear on his face as the mid-afternoon sun in the  
sky.  
  
"Nothing yet..." answered Katzenberg as both he and Feral bypassed  
the elevator in favor of the quicker stairs. "Callie's in ICU and  
Felina's being treated on an outpatient basis." The five stories to  
the parking deck flew by as the pair slammed open the doorway on the  
lowest level. "Come on, my car is over here" pointed the doctor.  
  
"I'll get my cruiser. You'll have an Enforcer escort all the way!"  
Feral shouted as each kat ran across the bay towards their respective  
autos. Seconds later both cars tore out of the Enforcer parking deck  
bound for Megakat Memorial.  
  
"Hang on Felina" muttered Feral as he bypassed a MegaTron tanker  
truck. As he sped down the interstate, his earlier concerns evaporated  
as Felina filled his thoughts. Flanking Katzenberg's car all the way  
to the hospital, they made record time despite the early afternoon  
traffic.  
  
But even if Ferals' thoughts had not been focused entirely on his  
niece, he could not have known that his every action was being watched  
by a very familiar she-kat; one as crucial to the future of MegaKat  
city as Felina, Callie, or the Swat Kats themselves, despite the fact  
she was removed from his reality by over 400 years of time itself....  
  
Swat Kats: Ashes to Ashes part II--Destination Unknown  
  
Hard Drive sat looking at the spartan room that served as recreation quarters  
for the "Alliance of Doom', as Dark Kat had taken to calling the gathered  
super-villains. Mac Mange was shooting a solo game of pool on a ratty table  
stolen from a crime spree several weeks ago. He was, of course, cheating and  
since he couldn't catch himself, he was winning big time. Mollie Mange gave her  
husband a disgusted look and went back to channel flipping, trying to find  
something to watch that didn't involve a credit card (super-villains get lousy  
credit ratings). Viper was pouring over some biochemical formula in the most  
distant corner of the room, put there by the rest of the group since his insane  
laughter and tendency to answer his own questions put the others ill at ease.  
Disgusted with the lack of activity, Hard Drive threw down his magazine and  
walked towards the door.."I'm going out! " he snarled to no one in particular.   
  
Mollie looked over at the techno-villain and gave him a look she usually  
reserved for her husband when his mechanical mind came up with another inane plan  
to rob Megakat City blind. "You fry your brain on your last trip down through the  
power lines Hard Drive?! Dark Crud said he didn't want us leaving the mountain  
for any reason!"  
  
"Oh, and since when did you start doing everything tall, dark and gruesome  
said?" Hard Drive spat at Mollie, prompting Mac to stop his game and glare at the  
villain.   
  
"Hey! Watch your tone of voice creep! No one talks to Mollie like that but  
me!" The robotic Kat walked over towards Hard Drive, the pool cue snapping like a  
twig as he balled his fist.   
  
"Come on Mac! Don't get your circuits in a bunch!" yelled Mollie. To this day  
she kept asking herself over and over why../WHY/ she ever married that lunk. And  
every time she came up with the same answer...she loved him. But SHE'D never be  
the one to admit it first. "All I'm saying Drivy is that Dark Kat's got a good  
plan for us to wipe out Feral and his idiotic Enforcers AND get a whopping pile  
of loot at the same time! I don't like him any more than you do, but I'm not  
gonna get my tail zapped again just cause your bored! So sit down and shut up or  
I'll shut you up myself!" Mollie stood from the couch and aimed her blaster at  
Hard Drive as he looked for a convent electrical outlet to zip into--just in  
case.   
  
"You fools!" bellowed Dark Kat as his huge shadow feel across the room. "I  
leave the room for 5 minutes and you start to act like children! We are supposed  
to be on the same side, not fighting each other like hyperactive 5 year olds!"  
The master villain seethed, anxious to get to the point where doing away with  
these excuses for criminals would be a just reward for all his hard work. But for  
now..he needed them. But soon...very soon...  
  
"Can the act Dark Kat!" Hard Drive spoke with uncharacteristic bravado  
towards the massive figure. "We all know your gonna dump us when you get that  
Anti-Matter from Megatron Labs!" Hard Drive knew he was on dangerous ground, but  
he had all this 'alliance' he could stand. "You need us to keep the Enforcers  
busy, and we need your technology to destroy them! But we all know what's next;  
you double-cross us, or we double-cross you! I may be a crook, but I'm not  
stupid! So you either come clean right now or I'm outta here!"  
  
Mollie and Mac stood staring at Hard Drive. *That punk's got a death wish*  
Mac thought as he felt Mollie pull up beside him. He leaned over, whispering "You  
believing this Mol?" he said in the softest tones his vocal synthesizer could  
create. Mollie just shook her head, not quite believing it was Hard Drive who was  
voicing their shared concerns.  
  
Dark Kat himself was amazed at Hard Drive's bravery, or was it stupidity? He  
couldn't decide, but one thing he did require was the villains' surge suit to  
check the systems on his new warship that was only a bit more than three weeks  
from completion. Without him, Dark Kat's time table would be thrown off enough by  
a manual systems check to where Feral and his accursed Enforcers would be at  
nearly full strength AND equipped the new weapon upgrades Pumadyne was  
developing. A problematic thorn in his side at the very least. Restraining his  
anger, Dark Kat looked down at Hard Drive and almost smiled, a feature that  
looked as evil on Dark Kat as his scowl.  
  
"My dear Hard Drive, you seek to accuse me of betraying you when I am sure  
that you and the others have considered the very same thoughts! We do not trust  
easily..that is our nature. It is also our weakness. THAT is why those accursed  
Swat Kats defeated us for so long; but no more! I vow on all that is evil that we  
shall see this through to the bitter end, when Feral is broken at my feet and  
Megakat City is rubble. No betrayals, no double dealings. I am...kat..enough to  
make this offer. Are you kat enough to accept?" The unsaid insult hung thick in  
the air, prompting even Viper to finally pay attention to the shouting match  
instead of his calculations.   
  
"On two conditions Dark Kat. One, we go our separate ways after you launch  
your attack on Feral. I am /not/ getting caught in the crossfire. Two, we owe  
each other NOTHING! " Hard Drive stood there, awaiting the answer.  
  
Dark Kat looked over at the Metalikats.."And what of you Mac and Mollie  
Mange? Do you share Hard Drive's concerns?"  
  
The two blinked, not wanting to drawn into this war of wills. But having been  
done so, Mac looked at Mollie and piped up. "As a matter of fact Dark Kat, we do!  
Last time we would have bought it thanks to them collars you slapped us in. Whose  
ta say you ain't already got something like that in mind again! I say.."  
  
"Shut up Mac!" Mollie shoved her husband. "Listen Dark Kat. We ain't gonna be  
collared like some wild animal and if you try we'll vaporize your tail! Me and  
Mac already died once and I don't mind doing it again if we take a piece of work  
like you with us! So no double crosses, no tricks. We get our loot, Hard Drive  
gets his weapons plans from Pumadyne to sell, you get to blast Feral back to the  
Dark Ages in little pieces, and Mr. Lizard over there gets his Megaswamp City  
with what's left of the pieces!"  
  
Viper growled at the crack, but chose to not push the issue..yet. Behind him  
assorted plantmammals snarled and hissed as they wanted to rip the tin woman  
apart, but held back until their creator ordered it. Feeling Dark Kat's stare, he  
looked from Mollie Mange to the immense villain.   
  
"What of you, my dear Doctor Viper? Where do you stand..?"   
  
"Your petty feuding is no concccern of mine Dark Kat. I care nothing for  
defenssse sssecretsss, or jewelsss and money. Reduce the city to rubble for all I  
care. But I SSSHALL have my Megassswamp city after you have destroyed the  
Enforcersss. I promisse you that!" With that Viper turned with a loud hiss back  
to his formulations, leaving the others to worry about their petty concerns.   
  
"Then it's agreed! We shall work together until the death of Feral and the  
devastation of Megakat City. We go our own ways with no tricks! Agreed??" Dark  
Kat held out his paw for the Manges and Hard Drive to take.   
  
Each villain looked at the immense paw and wondered how much of their soul  
they would give up by taking it? Did they really have a choice? After a few long  
moments each took it and together looked up at Dark Kat. "Agreed." was the  
combined reply.   
  
"What 'bout you Viper?" called Mollie.  
  
Viper turned back around and almost looked like he was smiling at some hidden  
joke. He simply nodded. "Agreed." and he went back to his work.   
  
Satisfied he had fooled them all for now, Dark Kat pulled his paw away.  
"Excellent! Now follow me. This petty bickering must be put aside for there are  
new plans to be made." With that, Dark Kat turned and exited the room, followed  
by a still wary Hard Drive and Mac and Mollie Mange. Only Viper did not follow at  
once. Finishing up a formula, he looked at the empty room and began to laugh, the  
insane sound echoing through the mountain  
  
"Felina!" was the first words from Feral's lips as he burst into Megakat  
Memorial's ER.   
  
Felina glanced up from where sat, wincing as the action sent a twinge of pain  
through her neck as her muscles still felt as if they had been tied in knots for  
a week. She tried to turn at the waist, but the nurse bandaging her ribs firmly  
fixed her with a glare and the Enforcer sat still. "Here Commander." was the soft  
reply.   
  
Ulysses walked over, nearly pushing a few interns out of the way as he pulled  
up beside Felina. "What happened Lieutenant?"  
  
The nurse finished bandaging Felina's ribs and pulled the top down from under  
her breasts to her waist, covering white gauze wrapped tightly around the  
Enforcers's stomach. Offering a soft smile she professionally departed, carrying  
the brown clipboard over to Thomas Katzenberg who had arrived at the same time as  
Commander Feral. Thomas chose to let the Commander ease his mind as to Felina's  
condition before entering the discussion, instead reviewing Calico's medical  
situation. Smiling, he took the clipboard and dismissed the nurse, his eyes  
winding slightly as Callie's condition was made horribly clear.   
  
"I'm not sure Uncle. I don't remember much after I got hit on the head  
by...whoever. "  
  
"Start at the beginning Felina." Feral asked, his voice neutral but still  
twinged with concern.  
  
"There's not much to tell. I followed the autotracker to Clawson's and  
Furlong's garage out on 29. I started to draw my sidearm when I saw..someone..on  
the floor in one of the repair bays. After a few steps someone slammed what felt  
like a baseball bat into my side then clobbered me over the head. I remember  
waking up and trying to get Mayor Briggs-who was beside me and looking in pretty  
bad shape- to the hospital so I called Megakat Memorial to alert them that I was  
coming, then everything started to go black. I.." she paused, shaking her head as  
if to clear it and immediately regretted the action. After a moment the world  
stopped spinning and she composed herself..."vaugely remember fumbling for my  
radio and pressing the emergency button...after that it's all blank until I woke  
up in the ambulance..."   
  
Feral nodded and looked over at an Enforcer standing guard a few feet away.  
"Are you the one who brought the Lieutenant here?" He asked the suddenly nervous  
looking young she-Kat.   
  
"Y..yes Commander. Second Lieutenant Sami Higgins." said the young she-kat,  
saluting while assuming full attention.   
  
*Ah, I though that was her* Commander Feral thought as he updated his mental  
roloadeck. Glancing down at the officer he spoke.."At ease Higgins. What did you  
see when you arrived?"  
  
Sami's deep blue eyes seemed to narrow as her 5'1" frame relaxed slightly.  
Putting the past hour's events in a coherent order, she looked up at Feral, her  
stunning blond hair flickering slightly in the light of the room. "I was on  
patrol when Felin...Lieutenant Feral's emergency call came through. Being the  
closest unit I responded. Arriving 5 minutes after originally receiving the call  
I found both Mayor Briggs and Lieutenant Feral in the condition she mentioned.  
Calling for an ambulance, it arrived to carry both of them here to Megakat  
Memorial. I followed in my own cruiser sir. By the time we had reached the  
hospital, Lieutenant Feral had regained consciousness and started to carry Felina  
into the emergency room as I told an orderly to get a doctor down here. Then you  
and the other gentlekat arrived sir." She paused, wondering if she said too much,  
or not enough, or the wrong things all together.   
  
*So, that's why Katzenberg was told Felina brought in Briggs...* the shadow  
of a smile passes across Feral's lips as he was glad that..at least this  
time..his niece was too stubborn to stay still. *She very likely saved Ms.  
Brigg's life..*. Looking down at the young Enforcer Feral let his normal neutral  
gaze take over.. "You saw no one when you arrived at the salvage yard?" Inwardly,  
Feral's mind raced as somehow, on a instinctive level, he /knew/ who attacked  
both his niece and Calico Briggs.   
  
"No commander. No sign of anyone other than the Lieutenant and Mayor Briggs.  
There were no other vehicles other than the ones in for repair. I did a quick  
sweep after the paramedics arrived, but the yard was empty save for us."  
  
Feral nodded and seemed to weigh his options for a long moment. To him, it  
was totally obvious who attacked the pair, as was the reasons why. *Now I've got  
them...* he growled to himself as he glanced back at Felina, then at Sami.  
Reaching down to his belt, he removed the communicator with practiced ease,  
deftly flickering the unit to transmit... "This is Feral. I want two APB's put  
out immediately! Subject one: Jake Clawson. Subject two: Chance Furlong. I want  
them considered armed and extremely dangerous. Physical descriptions on file at  
Enforcer Headquarters. This is an Alpha-3 priority."  
  
Felina and Sami looked at Feral with a look of pure shock. Both she-Kats just  
stared as their minds tried to process this sudden leap of illogic. Feral felt  
their gaze on him and turned around to face his niece. "You have a problem with  
this Lieutenant? It was their salvage yard but they were no where to be found.  
Officer Higgins saw no one, and since you can not prove from memory or evidence  
it /wasn't/ Clawson or Furlong, then they're the most logical suspects. IF they  
are innocent, they can prove it when we find them. If not, then I will personally  
toss them in the deepest hole I can find until they rot!"  
  
"But Uncle..an Alpha-3 means.." Felina began, but was cut off by Feral's  
gaze.   
  
"I am well aware of what it means Lieutenant. But if Clawson and Furlong  
surrender peacefully then they won't need to be fired upon. Otherwise, I'm not  
taking a chance with any other Enforcer's life. Is that clear?" he directed at  
Felina, his eyes narrowing slightly.   
  
"As crystal../sir/." Felina responded, but Ulysses heard the venom in her  
reply. Seeing the anger in her eyes, Feral decided to talk to Katzenberg but was  
suddenly cut off by an emergency alarm.   
  
Thomas blinked as the all too-familiar voice echoed through the  
hospital..."Trauma Team to ICU 4 STAT. Trauma to ICU 4 STAT" and suddenly Kats of  
every kind began to organize and most began to carry equipment down the main  
hallway towards a room with a flashing red light atop the door frame. "Holy  
Kats..." he mummered and joined the rush as Feral, Felina and Sami dashed behind  
him.   
  
"What is it Katzenberg!?" Feral nearly had to shout over the din.   
  
"ICU 4 is Calico's room! Her life signs must have dropped suddenly! Stay  
here!" he yelled as he grabbed a kit from a passing intern. The stunned trio  
slowed, then stopped, as the army of healers disappeared into the small room.   
  
Feral glanced down at the shaken Higgins and then saw the same look on his  
niece, their bitter exchange a few moments ago forgotten as they realized that  
right now Calico was fighting for life. "Felina.." he said softly.."Did the  
doctors tell you anything about Miss Briggs before I got here?"  
  
A soft sigh escaped her lips and her head shook. "Just that she was in pretty  
bad shape. That's why she was in the ICU. But nothing..like this.." she stopped,  
feeling an uneasiness grow in the pit of her being.   
  
Sami just stood there, not sure what to make of all of this. Why had Felina  
been so upset at her uncle for the APB? To her knowledge she didn't think Felina  
associated with rouges who got tossed off the force for showboating so it had to  
be more than concern for their sakes.-- And who beat up Mayor Briggs and Felina?  
There was no apparent motive!-- There were too many pieces that didn't make sense  
and despite her best efforts, they just wouldn't fit together..yet.   
  
"Where the hell am I??* Callie asked herself as she tried to peer through the  
soupy mists that surrounded her. Tall, lifeless trees snagged at her clothing as  
she passed, branches shredding her clothing with unnatural ease. The cold, hard  
ground gave no help as she staggered along the desolate landscape, searching for  
something familiar ..something comfortable to latch onto. "Hello?! Please..is  
anyone here!?" she called out, but apparently in vain. The emptiness seem to  
reach beyond forever.   
  
"Deputy Mayor..Miss Briggs!!" called a voice Callie never though to hear  
again, at least on this side of the veil.   
  
Callie turned, paling at the voice out that sliced through the darkness.  
"T-Bone!? Is that you!? I'm here..over here!" she yelled, hoping the Swat-Kat  
could find her in the mass of nothing that seemed to reach out to infinity.   
  
"We're on our way Miss Briggs!" came Razor's voice from someplace else,  
unseen but close enough to be as comforting.   
  
An incredible feeling of relief washed over her as two forms seemed to exit  
the fog almost in front of her..."Guys..your alive...I can't tell you...you.."  
she started, but stuttered to a stop as she realized who..no, what..was advancing  
towards her. "NO!! Stay..stay... away from me!" she screamed as the two skeletal  
Swat Kats approached her. Terror clutched her throat as the two former heroes  
reached out, their bodies nothing but bones with bits of decaying flesh hanging  
off. Shattered Glovatrix's rested on each kats' left paw. But it was their  
eyes-or rather the empty sockets resting in charred skulls-that froze her to the  
core. Her ears burnt with their ghoulish laughter as they approached.   
  
"What's wrong Miss Briggs? Not happy to see us!?" the../thing/ that used to  
be T-Bone snarled as his undead partner made swipe at her arm.   
  
"Yea Callie! We're gonna help you like you helped us..TO DIE!" Razor's  
remains connected with her arm, pulling the horrified she-Kat to what was left of  
his chest. T-Bone's remains closed the gap. The smell of death surrounded the  
former heroes as Callie's air was cut off by Razor's bony arm wrapping itself  
around her windpipe. A small gurgle escaped her lips as she felt claws dig into  
her neck. "Time to die, you coward! " spat the undead remains that used to called  
Razor.   
  
Callie tried to scream as the two former heroes tore into her body, but no  
sound could emerge. Their claws sliced past fur, deep into the skin itself.  
Jagged wounds erupted over her body as blood began to trickle down her chest and  
stomach, soaking her remaining clothes and the hard ground with her life-force.  
T-Bones' swipes dug deeper as Razor's claws inched into her throat, blood  
escaping down her neck, coating his undead fingers. Her legs began to buckle, the  
strength she had for flight leaving her as rapidly as her conscious mind. She  
mentally tried to flee, to run away from the nightmare her body had become, but  
T-Bone's gloating laugh kept pulling her back in time to receive another swipe  
into her flesh. A soft question escaped her lips with the last bit of breath she  
possessed, knowing that she would soon perish.  
  
"Why??" screamed the zombie T-Bone, his claws still back ready to unleash  
what could be the final swipe that would end Calico's life. "You dare ask me  
that?!" The undead Kat lowered his hand and grasped her throat above Razor's  
lifeless arm. "Your the one that shot down the TurboKat! Your the one that caused  
us to crash into Dark Kat's ship. **YOUR THE ONE THAT KILLED US, AND YOU HAVE THE  
NERVE TO ASK WHY??* screamed the ghoul as it's bony fingers squeezed harder and  
harder.   
  
That's it partner, finish her off!" cheered the decayed Razor. "She's the one  
that activated those laser cannons that totaled the Turbokat when she tried to  
escape from his airship! If she hadn't tried to help, we'd still be alive right  
now!"  
  
"Just..wanted..you..couldn't..shoot..with me.hos..hos.." Callie tried to get  
out but T-Bone's grip tightened and she whimpered as her body neared shutdown.  
Tears fell down her face as she felt her arms begin to numb, her legs practically  
useless. "Jake..Chance..I'm... so...sorry. ." was all she had left to say.  
Closing her eyes, she awaited the final moments of her existence.   
  
T-bone snarled as he pulled back, the final slash aimed at her heart. Razor's  
laugh filled her ears as the claw began it's downward arc.  
  
Far overhead, there was one witness to the unjust carnage playing out on the  
barren wasteland. Unseen by either Callie or her destroyers, a bluish-green orb  
appeared high overhead, knowing the time to act would be here soon. Slowly he  
started to descend towards the fading she-kat...  
  
"Your Majesty!"  
  
Callista blinked as she bolted upright as Sir Steel's cry rang throughout her  
bedchambers. Pulling her nightgown from the hook beside the bed, Callista crawled  
out from under the mountain of covers and crossed the large room in three steps.  
Slipping the soft blue fabric around her bare form, she opened the door only to  
find herself face-to-face with her slightly perturbed Captain of the Guard.   
  
"What is it Sir Steel? What unsteadies my bravest of knights this time of the  
morn??"  
  
"My Queen," Nathaniel Steele bowed, his tan-ish form resting on one knee.  
"The Orb of Prysmos is vanished from it's resting place!"  
  
Callista's eyes went wide with shock! "How did this occur Sir Steel. Tell me  
all you know.." she commanded in an icy tone, catching the Captain off guard with  
its intensity. Striding down the hall, uncaring about her state of dress,  
Callista strode with a mix of anger and worry as the knight raised up and  
followed. Quickly he relayed what had just occurred.   
  
"I had assigned my finest guards to their chambers, just as you requested  
your Highness. Every hour upon the hour I personally checked to see the guards  
intact and still upon their duty. At last chime I again checked and saw all was  
in order when a glow did come from under the door... " Nathaniel paused, his  
sudden silence drawing a look from his Queen.   
  
"And what happened next?" she prompted.  
  
"I am afraid of that I am not sure of my Queen. I opened the door, sword in  
hand lest the Pastmaster or some other of our enemies had discovered our visitors  
condition. There in the corner was the Orb, floating in the air, glowing  
brightly. My guards surrounded their beds as I approached but the Orb exploded  
with a light unlike I have ever experienced. When my eyes cleared the Orb was not  
to be seen. I left my guards there and came to get you my Queen. That is all I  
know." Nathaniel looked down, his voice slightly carrying a tone that Callista  
never had heard escape from his lips: a tone of failure.   
  
Callista smiled softly, trying to ease the troubled conscious of her friend.  
"Do not fault yourself Captain. There is much even I do not fully understand  
about the Orb of Prysmos. I doubt you could have done more than you did. We shall  
discover the truth about this, but first we need to see if our guests are  
unhurt." Callista paused herself for a moment, as if weighing a decision on her  
mental scale. Her eyes looked at her Captain and she nodded, the balance having  
been reached. "Go to see Arkatta the Wise. Tell her Callista of Megalith City  
begs her help and that of her most precious treasure. She will know what I mean."  
  
Nathaniel Steel nodded and sheathed his sword. Raising his right paw, he  
clenched it tightly and brought it over his heart as a confirmation of her orders  
and his fealty to her. "By your command, my Queen" and with that he ran down the  
hall, his voice fading down the long corridor as his squire went to ready a horse  
and supplies for the dangerous journey to the Darklands.  
  
As Callista watched the Captain depart, an uneasy feeling overcame her. *Did  
the Orb sense it was time? If so, why did it not appear to me in a vision as  
before?* Shaking her head, she waved off the guards that started to follow her.  
"I shall attend to this myself." she commanded as look of worry crossing one  
guard's face. However, Callista had spoke with such authority they simply saluted  
and walked down the opposite hall, leaving the Queen to her desired solitude.   
  
Callista's footfalls rhythmically fell upon the stones that lined the way to  
her most important destination. *There must be a connection to their arrival and  
the stone's recent increase in power..* she mused as the door to her private  
study came into view. Then, without the slightest of warnings, the door shattered  
and two guards flew through the early morning chill to slam against the opposing  
wall with a resounding /THUD/ that made Callista feel sick. As her guards  
crumpled to the floor, Callista steady herself for an attack, her hands rising to  
a defensive position. The words for a defensive spell began to form in her mind  
as a burly shadow flickered across the door frame. Callista frowned and started  
to recite the spell, but froze as the owner of the imposing shadow staggered in  
view.   
  
The large Kat was ragged, clutching a nasty set of fractured ribs, the most  
serious of his injuries. However, there were numerous scars and abrasions still  
looking quite painful, even through the coarse linen shirt that only just covered  
his frame. Leaning against the wall, he panted for breath as bloodshot eyes  
attempted to focus on the stunned she-Kat. Slowly..very slowly..the multiple  
images solidified and he blinked, a hoarse whisper escaping from his dry throat.   
  
"C..Cal..lie..?' muttered T-Bone as he looked at Callista and promptly  
collapsed to the floor, his minute reserves of energy depleted by his recent  
fight. Unconscious, the Swat Kat began to breath shallowly, his fevered mind lost  
in the fog of his near-death ordeal over 400 years in the future.  
  
"We're loosing her!" shouted one orderly as the peaks on the biography became  
fewer and fewer.   
  
"I want 10 cc's of Animorphin!" Thomas shouted to the air.   
  
"Heart rate is almost nonexistent. Blood pressure is almost off the  
charts..." another intern interjected.  
  
Someone handed Thomas a syringe filled with a purplish fluid. Holding it up  
for the briefest of moments, the doctor verified it was the correct medication  
and dosage and proceeded to inject the liquid into a vein in Callie's arm.  
Seconds hung in the air frozen until finally a soft /ping/..then another..caught  
Thomas's ear and he looked and smiled. The biograph started to stabilize as  
Callie's heart began to beat close to normal. Finally letting out the breath he  
seemed to have held forever, Thomas began to cautiously check Callie's stomach  
for any discoloration that would suggest internal bleeding or hemorrhaging.  
Without warning he let out a soft cry, prompting a young intern to look up from  
his tasks, Thomas's pale face sending a wave of concern through the younger  
doctor. Douglas Kowser put a hand on Katzenberg's shoulder.   
  
"Sir..are you.." the young kat began, but froze when his mentor's paw  
withdrew from Callie's stomach covered in blood. "What in the hell..." he  
whispered.   
  
Thomas Katzenberg had seen both miracles and horrors of medical science, but  
as he pulled back the nightgown, his gaze froze as he saw something that defied  
even his long years of experience. "Doogie..do you see..?" muttered the elder  
healer as he looked at his friend then back at the still form of Calico Briggs.   
  
Douglas indeed noticed what Thomas saw, so shocked that even the use of his  
hated nickname didn't even register. "By the ....Thomas..what's going on" he  
finally mummered.  
  
Thomas Katzenberg had no answers, not for this. In all his years, he had  
never saw anything even close. Before the startled eyes of both tom-kats, several  
sets of fresh claw marks appeared on Callie's body, each set jagged and deep as  
blood began to seep from the terrible wounds.   
  
Off to one side, the biomonitor began to fade once more..  
  
Seconds ticked by like hours as outside the ICU both Ferals and Sami stood  
watching the windowless door, feeling as helpless now as they did a week ago when  
Dark Kat almost destroyed their lives and their city. Feral gently laid a  
reassuring paw on his niece's shoulder, hoping despite their recent disagreement  
she'd still let him comfort her. Getting no adverse reaction, Feral kept his paw  
there letting the young she-Kat draw whatever strength she could from him.  
Higgins stood next to Felina, her hand clasping Felina's paw tightly as she tried  
to ignore the worse case possibilities that kept leaping to the forefront of her  
mind. Silently the trio watched as each prayed for Callie's safety in the next  
few hours.   
  
*So this is death* Callie accepted as the demonic T-Bone lowered his bone  
claw to rip her heart from her bosom. Soon her life would be over and she would  
pay for the misery she caused herself and her city. The undead Razor kept her  
close to his decayed body, preventing her from moving away as the claw moved  
closer..and closer....  
  
Then, suddenly, it froze in place.  
  
An eternity passed before Callie realized she was not dead, lying on the  
ground writhing in agony as her soul left the mortal coil. Tentatively she opened  
one eye, then the other, and came face to face with the immobile T-Bone, his  
jagged claw scraping the outer layer of fur but going no deeper.   
  
Confused, Callie first thought it was a trick to increase her fear, but after  
several more seconds neither of her attackers moved. The insane laugher had  
stopped and Callie found herself able to move slightly, slipping after much  
finessing from Razor's steely grasp. Clutching her side, she staggered away as  
fast as she could, stumbling on the hard ground as the two figures faded back  
into the mists from which they came.   
  
Unable to take any more, Callie collapsed to the earth and stared up at the  
empty sky, awaiting the angel of death to take her to a better place. She closed  
her eyes and waited, her breathing softly easing with each breath.  
*Not...long..now..* she though, perhaps her last one in this life.   
  
"Calico...."  
  
Opening her eyes, Callie looked around for the voice that called her name, a  
moments panic arising as she though it was the reanimated forms of her friends  
trying to trick her once more.   
  
"Calico Briggs. You must not give up...." echoed the voice.  
  
"No..I do have to give up. I just want it over.." she whispered, praying for  
it all to go away and leave her to die in peace.   
  
"If you give up, Dark Kat has truly won, and all innocents will suffer." said  
the voice flatly.   
  
Callie shivered, taken unaware by the feelings the simple comment invoked.  
Slowly the she-Kat struggled, fighting blinding pain as the urge to confront the  
voice that mocked her became more important than anything else at that moment.  
Looking up into the emptiness above her, Callie almost snarled at her unseen  
taunter ..."He's already won! Look at Megakat City! You have no right to say what  
I should or should not do...."  
  
Slowly a light filled the sky, a bluish-green haze pierced the emptiness. As  
if by magic the haze thinned, then vanished without a trace leaving only empty  
space surrounding the stunned woman. An orb, not much bigger than a basketball,  
descended from the glow and floated several feet in front of Callie.   
  
"On the contrary Ms. Briggs I have every right!" the orb commanded as it  
began to shift and change, the smooth sphere melting into an almost Kat-like  
form, but with noticeable differences. The figure that began to emerge was almost  
6 feet tall, but unlike any Kat Calico had ever seen. Long , white, stringy fur  
seemed to hang from the sides of the figure, leaving the top part of the head  
bare with no fur at all. A long red robe-much like the one Reverend Katsi wore  
for the Swat Kats' funeral- enveloped the being, covering it's feet. Steel blue  
eyes gazed at Calico with a youthful fire that was opposite to the aging face  
they resided in. More white fur drifted from the creatures chin, giving the being  
a look of wisdom that comes with age. Callie began to step back from the horrible  
looking creature, sure that is was another monster determined to rip her apart.  
Where she had been welcoming death minutes before, now Callie found herself  
praying she could live just a while longer if for no other reason to understand  
the madness that had recently infected her life.   
  
The creature smiled as it finally settled before her. "Good. The spirit is not  
yet willing to pass on. There may be hope for you and your world yet Calico  
Briggs."   
  
"Who..what../are/ you??" whispered Callie as she stared at the figure,  
wondering how it had read her mind.   
  
"My name is Merklyn, young one. And I am here to give you a great gift."  
  
"W..what kind of gift...?"  
  
The creature simply smiled once more. "Your destiny."  
  
Thomas sighed, stepping out of the ICU unit and began to walk towards the  
waiting room at the far end of the hall. *This is not going to be easy..* he  
thought, trying to find a way to explain Callie's medical condition without  
letting Feral know about the scars that appeared from thin air. *She's already  
unconscious, on the verge of a breakdown, and when she finds out about being  
replaced...*. Closing his eyes, Katzenberg shook his head, wondering how  
everything went so wrong so fast. Finally reaching the lobby, he started to enter  
when a young nurse flagged him over.  
  
"Dr. Katzenberg...you've got a call on line one."   
  
"Take a message Meredith, please. I've got to talk to Commander Feral and his  
party about Mayor Briggs..."  
  
Meredith smiled, but you could tell by her face that wasn't an option...  
"Wish I could sir, but it's Councilman Witwicky."  
  
Thomas stopped in his tracks, feeling as if a great weight had been doubled  
on his shoulders, and not from the mental image of Curtis Witwicky's girth..  
"Ask..ask him what he wants Meredith.." he softly mummered as he leaned on the  
counter for support.  
  
With practiced easy, the RN picked up the phone, took off the hold, and began  
with her most professional voice.."I'm sorry Councilman Witwicky, Dr. Katzenberg  
is in the middle of a patient conference and can't be disturbed right yet. Might  
I take a message?" After a few seconds she began to scribble down notes from the  
civic 'leader' and with a confused frown finished. "Yes, sir. I'll make sure he  
gets the message as soon as possible. Of course..good bye." With a slightly  
annoyed look she hung up the phone and glanced up at Thomas, handing him a  
message pad. "Well, he was rude. He wouldn't even give me the real message; just  
some crap that he'd said you would understand. " The she-Kat was obviously upset  
at not being trusted with something so basic, but Thomas knew there was more to  
it than a simple matter of trust. He just wished he could tell Meredith.   
  
"I'll be fine Meredith. You know how politicians like to play mind-games at  
times. I'm sure it's nothing more than a carefully disguised attempt for free  
health care. " At that, he laughed softly, as the she-Kat smiled as well. "Thanks  
for the help.." he muttered, knowing what the pad says but kept a straight face  
until she out of sight to begin her rounds. Steadying himself, he read the  
message whose coming had been like that of a dreadful shadow, hanging over him  
for days.   
  
[Situation understood. Choice reached. Proceed as discussed. Notify 'U' as agreed  
upon.]   
  
*This cannot be!* Thomas looked at the letter again and again, praying he had  
misread it. But no..it said 'U', no matter how many times he wished otherwise.  
Rubbing his temples for a moment, he looked over at the small waiting room and  
sighed deeply. **This is not going to be easy at all...** he mentally shook his  
head and strode over to the door and slipped from the frying pan into the fire.   
  
Feral looked over as the door opened to see a concerned-looking Doctor  
Katzenberg enter. Raising an eyebrow at the blood on his gown, his eyes narrowed  
slightly. "Doctor..what is Mayor Briggs situation?"  
  
"Stable, thank whatever powers that be. That first emergency was due to her  
unbalanced biochemical situation, and she had an unexpected reaction to one of  
the medications. As it is, she's weak and still in critical condition. But she's  
alive and that's what's important." He sat down, needing the momentary rest.  
Suddenly, his brain clicked that something was missing from the room. Glancing  
around, Thomas realized that two of Feral's party were missing. "What happened to  
your niece and that other officer?"  
  
"They went to the hospital cafeteria. They didn't want to leave but I  
...suggested..they take some time and relax. Both have had a hard day and pushing  
themselves won't solve any of our problems. However, Felina would like to know  
about the Mayor." Feral started to reach for his radio, and paused. "Doctor..what  
did you mean by the 'first' emergency? Was there a problem I should know about?"  
he Enforcer commander looked at the doctor quietly.   
  
*DAMN!* thought Katzenberg. "Sorry commander, I should clarify. There was a  
second moment of worry when her blood pressure dropped again, but that was due to  
a misread on the equipment rather than an actual biological problem." *Whew...*  
  
Feral studied the older man then nodded, sensing there was more to this  
addendum than Katzenberg was willing to admit. Not wanting to push the issue at  
this second, Feral simply raised the radio and fingered the 'transmit' button.   
  
"Before you call her Commander, we have one other matter to discuss; one that  
I need your undivided attention on. " He paused, trying to find the best way to  
phrase this... IF there was a best way..." A little while ago, we were discussing  
what role you would play when the city council decided on a replacement for  
Calico. Well, I just received a phone call that you need to be aware of..."  
Thomas started, but was cut off by the exasperated Commander.  
  
"Let me guess: the city council has made a decision on who the new mayor is  
and I have to go break the news to him or her, right?" Feral sighed, a small  
voice in the back of his mind wondering how much worse this day would get.   
  
A few minutes later, Ulysses Feral found the answer to that very question,  
and he would never be the same.   
  
Several minutes before Feral's call came through, Felina and Sami were in the  
elevated glass walkway between the main hospital branch and the administrative  
wing, which held the cafeteria. Watching the traffic pass by, Felina became very  
quite as the city came to life as the night sky darkened. The damaged the city  
gained in the attack slowly vanished from sight save for the occasional  
flickering of hazard lamps marking holes in the freeway. The city was  
almost..normal..in a sense. A soft hand on her shoulder snapped the young she-Kat  
from her reprieve.   
  
"Penny for your thoughts roomie..". Sami laughed softly as the look of  
playful irritation in Felina's eyes lightened her mood slightly. "I know you hate  
me still calling you that, but you have to admit, we did have some fun while it  
lasted.."  
  
Felina smiled, despite herself. "A penny huh? You'd get change back."  
  
"Maybe, but it looks like you could use someone to talk to." Sami softly  
leaned against the window, making it abundantly clear that she wasn't going  
anywhere without helping; even if Felina didn't want her help.   
  
Felina looked at her friend and then turned, studying the city she loved. "It  
almost hurts to see Megakat City like this, doesn't it?"  
  
Sami blinked, not quite expecting that as an opening statement. "It does..I  
guess. But we'll get everything rebuilt and Dark Kat will pay for his crime. You  
know your unc..the commander...will see to that."  
  
At that Felina actually laughed, but it was a laugh without humor. Instead of  
happiness, a bitterness seemed to escape her lips. "I'm sure we'll try Sami,  
and part of me actually believes we'll make him pay. " Still, Felina stared out  
into the night.   
  
"And the other part...?" Sami didn't want to ask, but felt that the answer,  
if made known, might unlock some of the mystery Sami found herself drawn into.  
  
Felina looked at her former roommate and current friend. "You really want to  
know..?"  
  
Sami's only reply was a soft nod.   
  
Felina sighed and leaned forward. "I don't think we have a prayer of  
winning."  
  
Pure shock ran through Sami's mind as Felina's statement sent shivers up her  
spine. "What makes you say that Felina? The Enforcers have the best  
technology...the best troops. And-despite what many kats think- a commander whose  
one of the finest kats I've ever known. " A slow blush crept up Sami's cheeks as  
Felina's gaze finally turned from the city before her to the friend beside her.   
  
"While we've got all those things Sami, we don't have the edge. Not anymore.  
The time has come for us..and my Uncle..to realize how important the Swat Kats  
were to Megakat City. How many times did the Turbokat pull our tails from the  
fire? I've lost count how many times they found the solution while we were still  
trying to discover the problem. Despite our advance technology and all our  
bravery, we couldn't stop Dark Kat and it took the Swat Kats' deaths to give the  
opening we needed to bring his airship down. But look at all the destruction he  
caused in the short time after we mobilized and before the Swat Kats arrived..."  
Felina's voice trailed off a she looked back towards the city.   
  
Sami's mind was in turmoil. She had never expected to hear Felina, of all  
people, talk like that. The Enforcers were her life, her family. While she had a  
mother and father who loved her deeply, Sami still felt as if the Enforcers were  
the brothers and sisters she never had. To hear Felina sound so..defeated..broke  
her heart. "Felina..you can't give up.."   
  
"I'm not giving up Sami. No matter what happens I'll be there until the end.  
But recent events...have made me realize how important the Swat Kats  
are..were..to the city. And with Dark Kat, Viper and the rest still out there,  
we're going to be pushed to stop them. We need to admit that to ourselves."   
  
"That may be true Felina, but remember what the Reverend said at the Kats'  
funeral. That we should learn from their sacrifice; to defend those who can't  
defend themselves. That's what the Enforcers do, what they've always done. I'm  
going to honor their memory by doing my job the best I can, and putting Hard  
Drive and rest of our so-called super-villains behind bars for a long time. It'll  
be tough, but nothing worthwhile ever is." Sami paused, as if she was weighting  
something very carefully.. "What are you going to do to honor their memory  
Felina...?"   
  
A flash of guilt erupted in Felina's mind as Sami's unexpected question hit  
home. Painfully, she remembered how useless her attack on the air carrier was  
when Dark Kat first appeared that day. Her 'copters lasers bouncing harmlessly  
off the electrostatic shield was still frozen in her mind a week later. Then,  
without warning, another thought appeared. Unwelcome and undesired, it was no  
more than a foolish wish that had chosen the worse possible moment to reassert  
itself. But the thought would not be denied so easily and despite Felina's best  
efforts to wipe it from her mind, it only became stronger and clearer than ever  
before.   
  
"Felina..Felina.." spoke Sami, trying to snap her friend out of the daydream  
that had enveloped her.  
  
"Huh?" Blinked Felina, looking at the younger officer. "Sorry Sami. I must  
have zoned out for a moment.."  
  
Sami simply nodded. "It's okay, but the Commander is calling you."  
  
"Felina..are you there?" came Feral's staticy query over Felina's radio.   
  
Picking up her radio, Felina banished the thought and pulled herself together  
to responded. "I'm here Uncle."  
  
"I've just been talking to Dr. Katzenberg. You and Officer Higgins can go see  
Miss Briggs now, but keep it short. She's still unconscious, but the doctor  
thinks having some familiar faces might help bring her around."  
  
"Understood Commander, " replied Felina. "Meet you there?"  
  
"No..not just yet. The doctor and I have other..concerns..to sort out. I will  
join you shortly. Feral out."  
  
Felina looked down at Sami, who had a soft smile on her face and a tear in  
her eye. "She's alive." stated Felina, and a great weight lifted from her  
shoulders. It wasn't a complete recovery, but the cloud that hung over her since  
the fight with Calico in the hanger brightened slightly.  
  
At times, Sami could read Felina like a book; others she was a complete  
mystery. Right now, she was somewhere in between. She could tell that Mayor  
Briggs' recovery was important to Felina, but why was it so important to make her  
friend's entire mood shift like it just had? Putting such questions on the back  
burner, Sami smiled at her superior.."Go on ahead. I'll catch up." hoping to give  
Felina enough time alone with Calico to settle whatever was darkening her mood.   
  
"Thanks Sami, for everything." Felina smiled, and started down the hallway  
towards the medical wing.   
  
Standing there, Sami watched her friend depart, then looked at the neon lit  
city. Slowly, Sami began to realize how deeply Felina felt about her home, and  
how much Dark Kat's attack had angered her. As she turned to go, a random though  
caught Sami's attention..*That's weird. The Commander called her 'Miss Briggs '  
and not 'Mayor'. Wonder why?* Pondering it for a moment, Sami shrugged and  
chalked it up to habit on Feral's part and though no more of it until she reached  
Calico's room a few minutes later.   
  
  
  
"Ooooh..what the crud..hit me..." moaned Razor as the fever that had  
assaulted his body finally broke. Shocked, Callista looked around from the window  
she had been looking out to the badly beaten-but alive-Swat Kat who was  
struggling to lean up in bed.   
  
"Careful Sir Razor. The fever that hath bedridden you may be gone, but other  
sickness might come if you exert yourself too much. Rest now."  
  
Razor blinked..*Sir Razor!!?? Oh..CRUD!* was his first though as the blurry  
image slowly focused into that of Queen Callista. "Call..your Majesty..what are  
you doing in Megakat City?" Razor leaned up, shivering as the blankets that  
covered him fell into his lap, the night air taking him by surprise. "And could  
you turn up the heat? It's freezing my tail off..." he softly requested as he  
buried himself back under the covers.   
  
Callista looked confused at Razor for a moment, then nodded in understanding.  
Walking over, she placed a few more logs into the huge fireplace that heated the  
study that had been the Swat Kats recovery room. Soon the heat began to rise, and  
Razor started to warm up when he realized one crucial thing..they didn't have a  
fireplace at the garage. Feeling a sick nausea in his stomach he looked around  
and confirmed his suspicion. "Oh man..we're in Megalith City??"  
  
"Is that so bad, Sir Razor?" Despite a valiant attempt, her disappointment at  
his apparent dislike of her city upset the Queen, invoking a hurt she had never  
felt before.   
  
Razor realized his mistake and tried to correct it. "Of course not my Queen.  
It's just..of all the places I expected to be, Megalith City was not one of them.  
I apologize if my rashness offended you or your city, my Queen."  
  
Callista smiled, letting the incident slide. "No apology is necessary my  
knight. Perhaps if the roles were reversed, I would be shocked to find myself in  
your Megakat City." Properly, Callista sat in the chair beside his bed looking at  
him.  
  
Razor blinked and looked around suddenly.."T-Bone!" Frantically he looked at  
Callista who leaned over and put a reassuring paw on his shoulder.   
  
"Rest easy Sir Razor. Sir T-Bone is fine. He awoke some time ago. A surprise  
to be honest since yesterday he hurled two of my finest guards through a door in  
his fevered state. He is bathing at the moment, but should return shortly."  
  
"He did that??" Razor blinked, knowing if T-Bone was hurt half as bad as he  
was, that would have been a feat indeed. "Are they..I mean..did he?" Razor  
swallowed, knowing how strong T-Bone could be, especially if drunk or  
disillusional.   
  
"They are fine. A bit sore but they do not hold fault against him. It was the  
sickness, not the Kat." Smiling Callista retracted her hand. "When he returns you  
may bathe and I will have the cook prepare a light meal for you and T-Bone."  
  
Razor nodded, not sure how much he could eat with his body aching like it  
was, but he knew that he needed something. It felt like a week since he ate  
anything. He blinked..*Speaking of which*.. "My Queen..how long have we been here  
in Megalith City?"  
  
Callista started to reply, but a deep voice interrupted. "Almost a week  
Sureshot, if you can believe it." T-Bone said, his eyes showing he too was still  
trying to accept the fact.   
  
**A week** Razor screamed internally. *MegaKat City..oh man..Dark Kat!*  
Looking at T-Bone, Razor tried to get up, but his body refused to operate even on  
the most basic of levels. Wincing at the pain he slumped back into bed, his eyes  
closed as he fought back against the agony. Through clenched teeth he growled at  
his partner. "We..gotta..get back bud.."  
  
T-Bone came over and sat on the end of the bed by Razor's feet. "I know, but  
between my cracked ribs and your still getting over the feedback blast from the  
weapons console, we're not going anywhere for a while. Especially with no  
Turbokat." Even as pain blinded his sight, Razor could feel the hurt in T-Bone's  
voice over the loss of his beloved jet.   
  
Razor looked at his partner, then at Callista. About to ask the obvious,  
Razor was interrupted by a knock on the door (which had been apparently replaced  
during the night).   
  
"Enter." commanded the Queen.   
  
The door opened and Sir Nathaniel Steele stood in the hall at attention.  
Razor and T-Bone blinked in awe as the Kat that stood before them looked like  
David Steel so much it was downright scary. Save for the armor and a scar on his  
cheek, Nathaniel looked like David would a few years down the road, if the  
Enforcers didn't wind up chucking him down a tank barrel and shooting him into a  
mountainside.   
  
"Sir Steel!?" Callista blinked in surprise as Steele was back much too soon  
for comfort. The journey to the Darklands, even at full gallop, didn't take less  
than a day up and back. Rising from the chair, Callista walked over to her knight  
as her eyes narrowed "What has caused you to return early Captain..?" Callista  
asked, her tone a bit more disapproving then either Swat Kat had ever heard her  
use before.   
  
"Before you chastise the knight Callista, I was the cause." came a ancient  
voice from behind Steele. Stepping aside, Nathaniel revealed the results of his  
aborted trip to the Darklands.   
  
There in the hall was an ancient Kat, with fur white as snow. Standing maybe  
three feet, the old woman wobbled in with a gnarled staff as her only support.  
Dressed in tattered brown rags and a matching cloak, the visitor hobbled  
diligently towards the fire as her piercing green eyes seemed to take in  
everything around her. "I was already coming to the castle Callista when your  
knight came across me in the town of Primus. From there it is only a half day  
ride, and so we are here early." Stopping by the fire, she sat down a small bag  
that had been attached to the top of her staff. Silently, she warmed herself and  
looked at Nathaniel. "You may go, good knight. I have much to discuss with your  
Queen."  
  
Nathaniel nodded and looked at Callista for confirmation of the order.  
Receiving a nod he saluted and departed, casting a wary glance at the two Swat  
Kats. Out in the hall, the remaining guards followed their Captain, one pausing  
just long enough to shut the door. Then all was silence as the two heroes looked  
at the newcomer.   
  
"Arkatta.." Callista began.."you do me a great honor by coming here."  
  
The old Kat turned and smiled. "Perhaps Callista, but you know of my dislike  
for the flowing prose that seems to come from mouths when I enter a room. It's  
enough to make this old Kat feel sick."  
  
Callista smiled, remembering several times both kings and queens had been on  
the receiving end of one of Arkatta's lectures and was grateful she did not fall  
into that category. "Of course..I had forgotten." was the simply explanation, and  
Arkatta seemed to erase the matter already.   
  
Razor and T-Bone felt totally lost in the situation. They looked at Callista,  
then at this 'Arkatta' person who was apparently a big shot around here. Razor  
began to ask T-Bone if he understood any of this when he felt Arkatta's gaze on  
him.   
  
"These are the two you braved the timestorm for?" It wasn't an accusation,  
merely a simple gathering of facts the old woman needed for some reason.   
  
"Yes, they are. If I had not acted, they would have been lost and..."  
Callista began to explain, but stopped when a withered paw was raised.   
  
"Believe me Callista, for two such handsome Kats I too would have braved such  
dangers, were I several hundred years younger that is.." and her wizened laugh  
filled the room, the comment forcing a blush to Callista's cheeks. Razor and  
T-Bone just stared as her comment of age began to sink in. "How much have you  
told them Callista..?" Arkatta directed to her former pupil once the old  
sorceress was able to control her laughter at Callista's embarrassment.   
  
"None yet. I felt you needed to be here."  
  
"Tell us what??" exclaimed T-Bone, nearing the end of his patience.   
  
"Yea..I hate to sound ungrateful Callista, but would someone please fill us  
in on what going on??" Razor seldom admitted confusion, but at this juncture he  
had no other options.   
  
Arkatta hobbled over to a chair, moving the sack beside her as he lurched  
into the seat. "Be at ease warrior. The time has come at last to reveal all." She  
watched Razor and T-Bone start to relax, but her eyes narrowed dangerously,  
catching them both of guard.."although in the end, you may wish you did not  
know.."  
  
A uncomfortable silence filled the room as Callista and her mentor began to  
explain.  
  
"I'M WHAT??" roared Feral, nearly falling out of his chair, causing the  
windows of the waiting room to rattle incessantly. The large Enforcer just stared  
at Thomas, his entire expression showing one of total and absolute shock.   
  
"I'm sorry Commander, to be the bearer of the news..but the vote was nearly  
unanimous, and in your favor. You are the new acting Mayor of Megakat City. "  
  
Ulysses Feral had always been a Kat of action. He would see a problem, find  
the necessary resources to solve the problem, and act. There was no enemy that  
could not be beaten by guts and the right training. But right now, at this  
moment, all Ulysses wanted to do was crawl under a rock and never come out. At  
least on the inside..outside was much /much/ scarier.   
  
"What in the name of Hell's Nine Lives are they thinking??" raged Feral. "I'm  
a soldier, not a damned politician. If this is someone's idea of a joke..."  
  
"I wish it was Commander, but I just got off the phone with Councilman  
Witwicky and he was quite serious. I was involved somewhat with their original  
list of choices, and I'll admit I'm totally surprised by the result. I though for  
sure David Steel would get the vote, considering his..abilities."  
  
Feral looked at Thomas and would have started laughing, if the situation  
wasn't so serious. He knew exactly what the doctor meant by 'abilities'; his  
connections to several key politicians and public officials. "Steele?? Kats  
Alive, he was actually considered?!"   
  
Thomas watched as Feral's eyebrow went up another inch as the though of David  
Steele in charge sent shivers through the large Kat. "He was right behind you in  
votes Commander. In fact.." Thomas paused, unsure if to mention this bit of  
information or not, considering the already volatile situation.   
  
" 'In fact' what.." said Ulysses, very slowly and evenly.   
  
"If you turn down the appointment Commander, he will get it."  
  
"That's blackmail!"  
  
Thomas frowned as Feral kept making this harder than it needed to be.."No, it  
is not Commander. Simple political policy in action. You were chosen to replace  
Calico or Manx until one recovers. If you do not accept the post, David Steele  
will be given the title, due for reasons we both know about. The city council  
isn't going to waste time by holding another session. They'll just move down the  
list until someone takes the position. And..truth be known..there are several on  
the council who have threatened drastic measures if anyone but you was offered.  
So..."  
  
"So I take the position and loose direct command of the Enforcers or I refuse  
and that idiot Steele gets to be acting mayor and I'll answer to him on  
everything.." Feral looked at Thomas as a sick feeling sank into his gut.."IF I  
take the position, who is in charge of the Enforcers?"  
  
At that, Thomas Katzenberg actually smiled. "I think that would be up to the  
acting Mayor."  
  
Feral blinked, and sighed as he sat back down. Despite his best efforts,  
there appeared to be no way out. Shaking his head, he glanced up at Katzenberg.  
"One question. Why me?"  
  
Thomas sat down, looking at the slightly overwhelmed Kat..."Your reputation.  
Despite everything else Commander, you are respected for the job you do in a  
crisis situation, and Megakat City certainly falls into that category in this  
point of time. You understand the necessity to balance resources and achieve the  
most you can with what you have, while helping the most you can with each  
decision. That's all basically politics, when you remove the bulls..." Catching  
himself, he paused to let Feral weigh his options. Frowning, Thomas..not for the  
first time of late..realized how much he hated political games and wished he  
could spare himself-and Feral-the tired dealings that seemed to be a necessary  
evil at best, and a downright pain in the tail at worse. **But..* he thought..**I  
don't see any other way..**  
  
Feral stood up and began to pace, looking at nothing as his thoughts were  
turned inwards to make sense of the situation. Suddenly, a look of realization  
crossed his face. "Doctor...it's been about a week. According to your estimates,  
Mayor Manx should be close to recovery from his coma."  
  
Thomas sighed, realizing that Feral was grasping at nonexistent straws.  
"Perhaps, but that was a best guess estimate. A coma has no timetable with which  
to go by. As long as Manx continues to recover at his present rate, he could  
resume office by the end of the year. However.."   
  
"However, " began Douglas Katzer, who stood in the door frame silhouetted by  
the bland fluorescent lights in the hall behind him. "That's not an option anymore  
sirs. Mayor Manx just passed away a few minutes ago."  
  
Feral and Thomas exchanged shocked looks, as the latter stood up and walked  
over to his protege.."What happened Douglas?? His life signs were stable.."  
  
The young Kat sighed, wishing to not be the bearer of such news, but in his  
heart he knew otherwise. "They were sir, but his heart seemed to just give out.  
We tried everything from Sheridium 5 to plain old adrenaline. Nothing helped. I  
am so sorry sir..." Douglas let his voice fade as he saw the saddened look on his  
mentor's face. "I'll leave you for the moment sirs, and I'll have a full report  
on your desk in an hour Thomas."  
  
Thomas simply nodded and smiled at Douglas for a brief moment, then turned  
back to Feral, who had sat back down dejected, as if his last, best hope had just  
been snatched from his hand. Slowly the former Enforcer commander looked out the  
window, and wondering how he was going to explain this to Felina.   
  
"M..my destiny??" Calico looked at the creature known as Merklyn with a mix  
of confusion and wariness.   
  
"Yes, child. There are things you need to know..and decisions you must make  
soon, for the good of yourself and your city. Perhaps even your world." Merklyn  
looked at the young she-Kat, hoping his own worries were not showing through.   
  
"Why should I believe anything you say? For all I know, your the one who  
brought me here to this..whatever..and created those two abominations to attack  
me." Callie balled her fists at Merklyn, determined to find out what the hell was  
going on, no matter the cost to herself.   
  
"I did not bring you here. You brought yourself."  
  
"What??"   
  
"This place.." Merklyn paused, a fur-less arm emerging from the red cloak.  
Slowly he waved it around, as if to point out the realm Callie found herself  
in..." is where all beings come when the choice between life and death must be  
made. It is here that the demons of the past must be faced; where the will to  
survive is forged, or the desire to be at peace is welcomed. You, Calico Briggs,  
are at that juncture."  
  
"I don't ..you mean, I have to decide if I want to live or not? And  
those..things..that used to be T-Bone and Razor were my demons that I had to  
face?" Callie shook her head, knowing that she must have failed this most  
important of tests. Painfully, her plea to die echoed in her mind as she felt  
herself sicken at the ease of which she caved into her greatest fear.   
  
"Do not hold yourself accountable for failure yet Calico. Yes, you asked to  
die; but in truth many seek that way at first, only to find the strength to go on  
and deny their earlier misjudgment."  
  
"Then..I still have a choice??" Callie looked at the ancient being with a  
growing sense of trust, but not knowing why.   
  
"You do, but before you make that choice, there are..things..you need to  
know."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Your destiny was foretold many years ago Calico Briggs. You were to be a  
great user of magic, a warrior on the side of justice. Megakat City would have  
peace due to you and those you called Swat Kats working together. An almost  
golden age would exist now, had it not been for the one you call the Pastmaster."  
  
"What does the Pastmaster have to do with any of this!?" Callie blinked,  
confused as to where the Pastmaster figured into all of this situation.   
  
"Ironically, nothing directly, but due to his incessant attempts to bring his  
time to yours, the natural flow of what was to be was forever changed. The  
situations that lead to your empowerment never occurred, and thus your full  
potential was never reached. That, coupled with the rapid advances in science.."  
he paused , saying the last word with venom.." kept your worlds forces of magic  
at bay until now, when it is nearly too late." Stopping, Merklyn watched quietly  
as the she-Kat absorbed what she had heard.   
  
"Nearly too late for what?" she had to ask.." this..whatever..that you said  
threatens Megakat City?"  
  
The ancient wizard nodded. "Yes. A great battle will soon be joined, but your  
Enforcers will not be able to stop the tide of evil as it comes to pass. Unless  
you are there..armed with magic..to stop the one you call Dark Kat, all hope  
could well be lost."  
  
Callie bristled at the mention of that most hated name. "But..what can /I/  
do?? I don't..you said that I was supposed to have powers but I can't now.  
There's nothing I can do.."  
  
"That is true to a point. However, if you are will to risk everything you  
hold dear, there might be a way to give you the powers you need to save your city  
and countless lives in the process."  
  
"But if my worlds' magic has been weakened, then how...??" Callie grasped for  
answers, seeking some light..some hope...at the end of the tunnel of confusion  
she found herself in.   
  
Merklyn walked (although it almost looked like he floated) over to Callie and  
placed his hand upon her shoulder. "I can give you the magic of /my/ home world  
to use in defense of yours."  
  
"W..what??" Callie paled, looking as if someone just walked over her grave.  
  
Seeing the startled expression on her face, Merklyn pulled back, realizing  
the need to use caution from here on out.."Perhaps..first.. it would be better if  
I told you how I came to be, then you might understand why this must be done."  
  
Callie simply nodded and 'sat' down, floating in space as the tale began.  
  
"Many years ago, before your world had life upon its surface, my world of  
Prysmos was in its own golden age. Though it was one of technology, the planet  
had no war or famine. Crime was almost a memory and everyone enjoyed a life of  
comfort and ease for nearly seven thousand years. But, it was not to last. As  
foretold, our three suns aligned and the resulting release of energy nullified  
technology all over the planet. Over the next several years, my magic was able to  
grow and expand until the time came to pass it along to those with the vision to  
rebuild our world in this new age. In the end, twelve knights were chosen and I  
bestowed a portion of my powers to each side, one representing the forces of  
'good' and the other the forces of 'evil'.   
  
"But why give power to those who might use it for evil? That would only lead  
to trouble that you could avoid all together."  
  
Merklyn nodded, a look of wishful agreement in his eyes.."For every amount of  
good, there must be an equivalent of evil. The cosmic scales must balance. The  
two sides must work out differences between them, or the imbalance would be worse  
than the evil itself. If there were no good, evil would run across the universe  
unchecked, and if there was no evil, good might turn in upon itself and do more  
damage than the evil it fought. It makes no sense, but seldom does the universe  
appear orderly to we who pass through it so briefly."  
  
Callie contemplated this for a moment, and nodded in understanding. Although  
she knew there was more to this than met the eye Callie felt compelled hear more  
of the story.. "So what happened Merklyn? Did your knights of good win?"  
  
At that, Merklyn laughed disdainfully. "There were no winners my dear.  
Several years after the cataclysm, I sent both the Spectral Knights and the  
Darkling Lords on a quest to recover four talismans in order to increase my  
powers to combat a great evil just beginning to emerge."  
  
Callie looked at the ancient wizard, entranced by the story. "What  
happened...?" she felt that the answer would be dark, but part of her had to  
know.   
  
The wizards' features darkened at the terrible memories. "The gods of fate  
were angry at us, my dear. In a supreme twist of irony, our world began to  
disintegrate. The shift from science to magic proved too much for the planet and  
even with two of the four talismans, my power was not enough to keep our world  
from tearing itself asunder. We only had one option; to gather all the magic of  
my world and banish it completely. Then and only then would the planet begin to  
heal. "  
  
Her jaw dropped to the floor as Callie listened in part pity and fear as the  
old kat's (for lack of a better term) eyes closed. Slowly, his voice began again.  
  
"We succeeded, but with no magic on Prysmos, there was no need for me  
anymore. I joined the gathered magic, including that of the Darkling Lords and  
the Spectral Knights and banished myself..and the Orb..to the limitless reaches  
of time and space." Merklyn stopped, his eyes opening to reveal a haunted look  
that would be forever etched in Callie's mind forever.   
  
"But..how did you survive..and how do you know about me??"  
  
"I can not tell you that right now. Suffice it to say, certain events drew me  
to your world and as I saw your planet grow and evolve, I began to hope that I  
would be useful once more. But in time, I realized if I interfered, that  
interference would change what should be and that I can not do."  
  
"But..if giving me these powers your talk of..isn't that changing what should  
be?"  
  
"No!" Merklyn yelled, catching Callie totally off guard. Seeing her reaction,  
the wizard pulled back and reformed his icy composure. "No, my dear. I only seek  
to correct a right put wrong by the Pastmaster. Perhaps..in a small way..my  
planet's magic will live on in you. .." he paused, remembering what she had yet  
to decide.."if you choose to help. "  
  
Callie 'stood' up and floated over to Merklyn, and looked at him intently. "I  
want to..but..it's all so..I mean..why me? Just because I am supposed to have  
some kind of powers doesn't mean I'm the best choice.. surely there's someone  
else you could..."  
  
Merklyn focused on Callie..."Now what will they do..now who will protect  
those who could not protect themselves..?" his ancient voice never wavered, solid  
as an iron mountain.   
  
As if a physical blow had struck, Callie staggered, her own thoughts at the  
funeral being spoke out loud for the first time. Image flashed across her mind as  
her friends..family..loved ones were incinerated by a beam of light coming from a  
huge floating airship high above Megakat City; her city in rubble as an all too  
familiar laugh filled her ears as it mocked everything she believed in. The laugh  
grew and grew until it was all she could hear, tormenting her over and over,  
leaving her powerless to stop it and its owner. **No..not powerless..not now..**  
a small voice deep in her mind said, cutting through the mental anguish and  
giving her a clarity she had not possessed for a very long time. The agony  
fading, Callie looked at Merklyn but knew deep down the wizard could not help her  
now; everything she held close rested on her shoulders alone. Her future, the  
future of Megakat City. Everything. A thousand thoughts filled her mind as the  
chance for redemption fought against the need for peace. Closing her eyes, the  
images began to intensify faster and faster, her mind racing to stay ahead of the  
myriad fears that threatened to overtake her.   
  
Only the Goddess knew how long the internal conflict lasted, but after what  
seemed like an eternity a soft voice broke through the confusion and reached the  
part of Callie's mind that still remember what she had to decide..."It is time,  
Calico Briggs. What is your choice...?"   
  
Sami stood in shock as her mind tried to fathom what she had inadvertently  
overheard. *Felina lied to her uncle??!!*.   
  
The awestruck she-Kat listened intently as Felina's confession to the still  
unconscious Calico Briggs had an unintentional eavesdropper. She hadn't meant to  
hear, but Sami's arrival at the cracked door had been an example of perfect,  
though bad, timing.  
  
"I didn't want all this to happen Callie. You..I /need/ you to know that.."  
Felina softly said as she sat beside her friend. "But after what we saw below the  
salvage yard, during out fight..I had to protect Jake and Chance. I know they're  
gone..but if my uncle found out, their legacy could have been tarnished ..and  
that..it'd be like loosing them all over again, only this time I would have been  
the one to pull the trigger and not Dark Kat." She sighed, her head in her hands  
for a moment.   
  
Callie lay silent to Felina's anguish, but somehow-on a level Felina didn't  
understand-she /had/ to tell Callie. She didn't know why, but her honor demanded  
no less. "But then..he put an APB out on them Callie. Can you believe it!? Not  
only do we loose T-Bone and Razor, but because I lied about what really happened  
to put us in the hospital, my uncle still found a way to blame the Swat Kats,  
even without knowing their secret identities!" Felina gently slammed her fist  
into her paw, incensed on how everything was turning out. "All I wanted to do was  
help try to ease your pain. When I saw you there..on the floor of their house.."  
. The enforcer paused, the memories of what really happened that night flooding  
over her, drowning her in a sea of confusion.   
  
"Who Callie..who did you.. kill??" Felina asked softly. She knew Callie  
could never kill anyone; her heart told her that much. But to see Callie like  
this.. teetering on the brink of emotional shutdown..was something she never  
expected to see in this life. Mentally she braced herself for the answer.   
  
"Don't you see!? I killed the Swat Kats!"  
  
"No..no your didn't Callie. It was Dark Kat. He was the one who kidnapped  
you. Remember..we learned by monitoring his radio transmissions that he was going  
to use you as insurance against the Swat Kats attacking.." Felina took a step  
closer, praying that some part of Calico's mind still hung onto logic and that  
her arguments would ease the troubled she-Kat.  
  
"NO! You don't understand damn it! How could you?! Were you there, seeing it  
all? NO! You were in your little jet, flying around acting brave while I was  
fighting for my lift in that damn ship!" Callie spat at Felina, her words hurting  
the young Enforcer more than a physical attack could have done.   
  
"That's not fair Briggs! We lost 6 good kats on our initial attack;  
Enforcers with families and loved ones! We were out there fighting for our lives,  
just like you were!" Felina balled her fists and felt a massive surge of anger  
erupt in her mind, but forced it down with a visible exertion of will. *It's the  
despair, not the Kat talking Felina...* she kept telling herself.  
  
No..NO! You don't understand!.." screamed Callie as she took another step  
back from Felina. Her mind raced feverishly trying to find a way to escape from  
the corner she found herself backed into, both geographically and mentally.  
Narrowing her eyes, she glared at Felina.."You don't understand..you CAN'T  
understand..so leave me the hell alone!!" With that, Callie launched herself at  
Felina, tackling the startled Enforcer with her adrenaline-enhanced might. Caught  
off guard, Felina found herself waging a defense battle against Callie, whose  
momentum carried them both into a door frame, the side stopping Felina's backward  
movement HARD.   
  
"D..damn!" screamed Felina as her shoulder winced in agony as every effort  
to get away from Callie met with sharp claws swishing by her face, or a fist  
trying to land a telling blow to her gut. Callie swung again, but Felina dropped  
to a crouch and punched a fist right into her opponent's stomach, catching Calico  
off guard and sent the stunned Mayor backwards.  
  
"WITCH!" raged Callie as she narrowed her eyes, the part of her that might  
have been able to be reasoned with now awash with anger. She charged Felina,  
trying to land a blow to her head, all thoughts of friendship gone.  
  
Felina prepared for another charge and accepted it, trying to use Callie's  
forward momentum to flip her over the shoulder and on her back so the force of  
the blow would knock the wind out of the desperate she-Kat. What Felina was not  
prepared for was the sudden feeling of momentary free fall as Callie's blow,  
which had shoved Felina against the wall, resulted in that wall suddenly swinging  
open and both women landed hard upon a set of unforgiving stairs. Having the wind  
knocked out of her instead of Callie, Felina could do nothing but hold the  
struggling she-Kat best she could as both bounced down the long flight of hidden  
stairs. Crash-landing at the bottom, the two combatants found themselves in pitch  
darkness, both too sore and beat up to continue the fight.   
  
As Felina landed, the corner of something slammed into her side with such a  
force that her uniform and fur together were not enough to prevent several of her  
ribs from being efficiently cracked clean into. A sharp whimper escaped her lips  
as this injury-combined with her shoulder-proved too much to handle, and Felina  
promptly blacked out. Calico looked up from her own landing spot atop a group of  
barrels and moaned as she tried to reach Felina, but wound up sliding off onto  
the cold concrete floor. As darkness began to claim her, Callie's last though was  
of her actions, and how she had killed the only Kat left she could trust.   
  
Then all became quiet.  
  
*Oh crud, this is gonna hurt* was Felina's first though after waking from  
her impact-induced rest. Slowly her eyes adjusted to the low light and she  
struggled to stand, but a burst of pain from her side nearly caused her to black  
out once more. Slowly the she-Kat stopped, waiting for the agony to pass. A moan  
from nearby caught her attention as she looked towards the noise. "C..Callie...?"  
she called into the darkness.   
  
Another moan was her reply as Calico Briggs was in no shape to be awake, let  
alone coherent. Unknown to her friend, Callie's body was raging with miswired  
body functions as her white blood count was dipping close to critical. Unseen by  
modern medicine, a long dormant genetic code moved through her DNA rewriting it  
as her body fought the attack. Diverting all energies to self-preservation,  
Callie's brain activity levels soared higher than ever, the creeping agony in her  
blood and bone more intense than anytime in the past week. A whimper escaped her  
lips as she mentally cried out for help, but her body was too involved to aid  
physically.   
  
Felina stumbled and fought back tears that pooled in the corner of her  
eyes. With every ounce of will she took a tentative step..then another, until she  
was upright in the dark room. "Can't..see too good..even with my eyes. I need  
some light.."  
  
Suddenly, the lights in the hanger came to full intensity as a metallic  
voice rang out, nearly making Felina reach for her blaster until the pain stopped  
that idea.  
  
^^Vocal Identification. .confirmed. Lieutenant Felina Feral. Enforcer  
Identi-code 8406593. Level two commands--on-line. Require second vocal  
confirmation for level one access.^^  
  
Felina blinked as the sudden illumination caught her totally off guard,  
causing her to shut her eyes in pain until several minutes later she could open  
them once again and see who, or what, had spoken. Glancing around the large  
hanger, Felina spotted a small video screen with a keyboard mounted into the wall  
underneath. Next to that on the right was a small speaker, which apparently is  
what the synthesized voice came from. Confusion filled her thoughts as she stared  
at the room around her.   
  
Missiles of every description were stored in a wall off to one side. A  
workbench lay partially buried under mounds of unfinished electronic components.  
But it was the twin lockers that caught her eye, and held her breath for long  
seconds. There, inscribed on small metal plates above the air vents were two  
names she knew all too well--'Razor' and 'T-Bone'.  
  
Like a tidal wave of biblical proportions, the realization engulfed Felina  
totally. Jake Clawson and Chance Furlong were Razor and T-Bone. *How could have  
been so blind?!* Felina yelled at herself, forgetting that hindsight is always  
20/20. *The only place we never checked..all that salvage /would/ have made the  
TurboKat..and Razor's missiles. Goddess..so that's why Callie..CALLIE!* her mind  
screamed as she turned towards the barely conscious she-Kat sprawled painfully on  
the concrete floor. Walking over she pushed all thoughts of the Kats aside and  
knelt down, ignoring the massive pain shooting through her body and tried to help  
Callie up. Slowly the Mayor began to stir and as her eyes opened, a soft smile  
passed her lips.  
  
"Your..alive.." Callie noticed, tears running down her cheek as another  
lancet of pain swept through her body. Her hands clutched at Felina's shoulders  
for strength to hold on a little while longer.   
  
^^Vocal Identification. .confirmed. Deputy Mayor Calico Briggs. Social  
Identification Number 5168904. Level one commands--on-line.^^ Again the computer  
voice broke the silence with its cryptic message.   
  
Callie looked up at Felina, her eyes betraying the confusion she felt as the  
computer voice finished. The Enforcer shook her head and tried to life Callie  
up.."Not time to answer what's going on, we've gotta get you to Mega..." she  
started to lift Callie to her shoulder for support when a ghost's voice resonated  
throughout the hanger.  
  
"Callie..Felina..we need to talk." came Razor's voice as a stunned Felina  
Feral and Calico Briggs looked up. On the video monitor, Jake and Chance's faces  
smiled down upon the two bewildered heroines.  
  
Slowly Felina looked away from the window of Callie's hospital room, tears  
running down her race as she remembered with all-to-vivid detail the implications  
of the gifts Jake and Chance had left behind.  
  
"I wish you were awake Callie. I could use your help on deciding what to do.  
I mean..the guys..they wanted us to give what they had left to my Uncle so the  
Enforcers could a slight edge, at least for a little while. And when you get  
better, we can help each other with the Glovatrix's they built for us." Felina  
paused, wiping her eyes. "Why didn't they tell us Callie? I know Chance said they  
wanted to, but couldn't because if my Uncle found out we'd both be implicated for  
aiding and abetting". Reaching down, Felina took Callie's limp paw into her own,  
still unaware her heartfelt confession was being heard by her closest friend only  
hidden by a slightly cracked door. "But how can I give my Uncle what Chance  
wanted us to? With the warrants on them, everything they did..everything they  
stood for will be forgotten by the ramifications of their true identities."  
  
Outside in the deserted hallway, Sami stood in awe of the ramifications being  
made only a feet away. *Jake and Chance were the Swat Kats!?* Her mind reeled at  
the thought of the disgraced former Enforcers being the beloved Swat Kats.  
Shaking her head, she wanted to talk to Felina face to face..to learn more of  
what happened in that hidden hanger, but the logical part of her mind realized  
that this struggle could not be solved easily; that friendship and loyalty would  
not overcome this enemy alone.  
  
Going back to her place, Sami listened as Felina continued to bare her soul  
to the unconscious Calico Briggs.   
  
You sent for me sir??" inquired the smooth talking Lieutenant David Steele as  
he stood before Commander Feral in the private office Thomas had be gracious  
enough to loan to the besieged Enforcer. Slowly, Feral's almost-cold gaze rested  
upon the young upstart, who began to sweat profusely.   
  
"Yes, I did Steele. Now listen carefully, because I'm on going to say this  
once." Feral looked down at the Kat and sighed softly *because if I say it more  
than once, I'll going to realize what I'm doing and throw up..*. Feral watched as  
Steele looked as if a giant anvil was about to fall on top of him.   
  
"Y..ye..yes s..sir.." muttered the Enforcer.   
  
"As of this date, you are.." pausing, Feral watched as Steele turned a  
not-too-good looking shade of green. After gathering his own strength Ulysses  
resumed..."you are promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander and are in charge  
of all Enforcer duties until such time I can resume those duties." Feral felt  
himself pale, but nothing compared to the young Enforcer who looked as if he were  
getting ready to faint.   
  
"S..S..Sir...?" was all Steele could muster for a reply.   
  
Feral leaned over the table and locked his gaze with the Kat before him.  
"It's very simple Steele. The city council has named me acting mayor and due to  
the city charter, the Mayor can not hold any position of military power while in  
office, so in short, your /IT/ Lieutenant Commander."  
  
David's eyes began to light up as the realization set in. Quickly he saluted  
and that irritating grin spread over his face. "I won't let you down Sir! I'll do  
everything in my power to..." he began, but froze when Feral rose up to his full  
height and glared down at him, his eyes as cold as ice.   
  
"Now you listen to me Steele, and you listen good! I have had it with your  
snide remarks, and countless excuses. Good Kats are going to be out there risking  
their lives to protect MegaKat City. Every decision you make could lead to  
victory or defeat David!"  
  
Steele blinked. *David? That's the first time he's ever....*  
  
"Everyday, the lives of your troops are going to hang in the balance. You  
must be decisive in your actions, strong in your beliefs, and true to your  
convictions. You must expect the unexpected daily and believe that you can win,  
no matter how hopeless it looks. Your strength will be their strength; your fears  
their fears. This is not a game anymore David, if it ever was. You have the most  
precious duty to protect our city..our home. " Ulysses paused, his eyes seemingly  
looking into David Steele's soul and beyond. "I want your promise David. Here.  
Now. No matter what happens, you /must/ give everything../EVERYTHING/ you have.  
No half measures or weak attempts. Will you give me your word, Lieutenant  
Commander?" Feral quieted, watching the expressions dance across Steele's eyes.   
  
Deep in the young tom-Kat, he knew the elder Enforcer was right. Throughout  
all of his 'career' he had been a joke, earning rank due to his family  
connections and not with his deeds. He never cared before now how it might make  
him look, but that was before all the lonely nights in the barracks as his  
fellows went out, dated..did all the things that friends do. Always it was David  
Steele who was left out..alone. The outcast. Some had tried, but they were just  
using him to get more rank. Wasn't they? Then he was so sure, but now...? Was  
this the second chance he always wanted..to start over and be the person he  
secretly wanted to be, or would he fall back into what he was, less than he  
/knew/ he could be..? Moments passed like eons until some part of his mind nudged  
him, warning him that Comm..Mayor Feral finished and was waiting for a reply.  
Looking up he noticed the fierce gaze and, much to the shock of himself as much  
as Feral, met it back with an equally determined look.   
  
"I am a Steele, Ulysses! We helped found this town; took a barren patch of  
land and turned it into a paradise. From nothing, my family helped forge the  
future that we now live in. My grandfather gave his life in MegaWar I to protect  
the innocent and I will be damned if I will let anything happen to /my/ city, or  
do anything to tarnish the memory of my family. From this moment on I will do  
whatever it takes to protect this city, and Goddess help the poor bastards who  
stand in my way!" David paused, then leaned over on the desk, as eye-to-eye as he  
could be with Feral's noticeable height difference. "Is that good enough for you  
Mayor, or do I need to give you my resignation here and now??"  
  
Neither Kat moved or breathed. Feral was shocked and surprised by the sudden  
depth of conviction emanating from the young Kat who hours ago would have stood  
there fidgeting until a passable answer was given. Now Feral saw no trace of that  
indecisive Kat, but rather a warrior with both steel and heart as his weapons.  
**His backbone finally found the light switch** mused Feral as he looked at the  
Enforcer before him. Pulling himself back up, Feral nodded only once to David and  
offered his paw. "Congratulations Lieutenant Commander. I'll make the official  
announcements tomorrow."  
  
Steele looked at the paw as the words digested into his brain. A small part  
of who he was tried to reassert itself, but was quashed by the new David Steel  
that stood before the new Mayor of MegaKat City. Taking the offered paw in a firm  
grip, David shook, his gaze or grip never faltering. "Thank you sir. Now..if you  
excuse me, I do need to begin reviewing status sheets and current troop  
deployment."  
  
"Of course. Dismissed." Feral began, but smiled ever so slightly as Steele  
began to go.. "David?" he said softly.   
  
"Sir?" Steel glanced back, worried about his new responsibilities. Seeing an  
almost quirky expression in Feral's eyes, he raised one eyebrow.   
  
"Dinner. D'Kattios. My treat. Last decent meal your going to get for a  
while." Feral smiled and almost laughed.   
  
David was shocked, but held in the surprise at the offer. "Thank you  
com..Mayor. I'll see you soon." With that, David Steele left the building bound  
for Enforcer Headquarters and the pile of paperwork that awaited his arrival.   
  
Sitting back down, Feral looked around the office and closed his eyes, trying  
to sort out everything that had transpired over the past few hours. The death of  
Mayor Manx. Calico laying unconscious in a room not far away. His niece attacked  
by those two mechanics, who still had not been found. Him being Mayor; Steele  
becoming commander of the Enforcers. It was all leading to..something..he felt.  
He knew that in his bones, but what that exactly was seemed to be in the paws of  
the powers that be, and Feral didn't expect any revelations soon.   
  
Sighing, he got up and walked out the office and down to the room where  
Calico rested, the real battle of the evening looming dangerously close. He had  
to tell Felina why he did what he did, and hoped that she would trust his  
judgment, if not the reasons themselves. Shutting the door, Feral disappeared  
around a corner towards a small room that held the past; but more so than Ulysses  
Feral would ever know.   
  
Deep in a mountain stronghold, two words were muttered from evil lips. No  
grand verbose prose, no dogma erupting to enflame others. Just two simple words  
that signaled the beginning of the end. Dark red eyes played over holographic  
scenes of Pumadyne, Megakat Biochem and Megatron labs. Then they drifted to other  
eyes, both natural and abominations of science as the words pierced the night.   
  
"It's time."  
  
  
  



	2. Chapters Three : Through the Fire

Part III--Through the Fire  
  
  
Felina blinked, looking at her uncle as if he had just  
grown another head and started speaking in tongues.  
Which--considering the bombshell he had just dropped-  
wasn't too far from the realm of plausibility.  
  
"You're..WHAT??" exclaimed the more than slightly upset  
she-Kat.  
  
"I know this is a shock Felina, but I exp...I need your  
support on this." The older Feral sighed, sitting back down  
in the same chair he had occupied when a short time ago David  
Steele had replied in much the same manner to his earlier  
announcement. **And if she's this upset with me being  
Mayor, imagine how upset she's going to be when she  
finds out the rest..**   
  
Ulysses had asked Felina back to the office Thomas had  
loaned to the former Enforcer commander until he could  
finalize the threads of the rapidly unwinding tapestry that  
had once been Ulysses Feral's normal existence. Now  
more than ever, the seclusion of the office was a grateful  
blessing as Felina took the news in stride.   
  
"With all due respect /sir/, are you out of your  
ever-loving mind?!" Felina glared at her beloved uncle,  
honestly doubting his sanity at this point. When he had  
knocked on Callie's hospital door not more than half an  
hour ago, this..conservation..was the last thing she would  
have ever expected. Now, instead of worrying about  
Callie's slim chances for recovery she had to compound  
that with the news that her uncle was now mayor of Megakat  
City.   
  
A haunting thought crossed the threshold of her  
awareness, shaking her mentally to the core. **Wait..if  
he's the Mayor, then who..??** Felina looked at  
Ulysses, the unspoken question burning in her eyes.   
  
Feral knew what the look meant, and steadied himself.  
"Steele." was his only reply. It was all that was needed. In  
fact, it was more than enough to stun the young Enforcer into  
silence.   
  
Feral took advantage of the momentary silence to cross  
the desk and take his niece's paw and try to salvage  
the more civilized aspects of the conservation. "Felina..I  
know this is all a great shock. It was to me as well. But the  
city council elected me by a narrow margin and if I refused,  
someone else would have gotten the job, and that I could not  
allow. This is the best way to hold our city together long  
enough until the Enforcers are back to full strength." He  
paused, letting Felina slowly absorb what he was saying. *Not  
a total lie, if you look at it from a certain point of  
view..* mused Ulysses. He knew the real reason he  
didn't fight the vote, but to draw Felina into a  
potential political struggle between his supporters and  
Steele's would not be good for either of them nor would  
it help Megakat City. But with David now in a position of  
importance, those supporters would have less ground to block  
his decisions out of spite and be forced to defend their  
positions with legitimate concerns instead of hiding behind  
political filibustering.  
  
Felina shook her head and gazed at her uncle with a look  
of understanding, if not total acceptance. Still, there was  
one thing she /had/ to know. "But Uncle..why Steele? After  
all he's done..what he's said to you. Was he the  
only choice..?"  
  
Feral mentally nodded to himself, the hardest question  
she could have asked now hanging in the air for him to  
answer. "I'll admit that he was not my first choice to  
lead the Enforcers. That would have been you." Ignoring the  
shocked look from his niece, Feral continued. "But you were  
right the other day Felina. You are needed on the front  
lines. Without a doubt you would make a outstanding  
Commander, and I always suspected that one day it would have  
been you that took my place. But all that was before Dark  
Kat's attack." Feral turned, and looked out the window  
into the hall as orderlies attended to their duties.  
Momentarily, he began again..."The Enforcers are weakened  
Felina, more so than in recent memory. We lost a lot of good  
Kats to that attack, and those that are left are looking for  
reassurance that the Enforcers can..and will..go on. You're the  
best Kat for that job Felina." Slowly he turned, looking at  
the young woman..."The others believe in you; they have for a  
long time. You might not have noticed, but I have. They trust  
you with their lives, because they have in the past and they  
have survived. That is where you can do the greatest good."  
Feral sat back down, studying his niece.   
  
Felina looked at her uncle, a mix of emotions on her  
face. On the surface, she didn't want to believe him.  
But deep down, she knew it was true. She /had/ noticed, but  
never felt a need to acknowledge that trust openly. She  
simply was a soldier, and part of her job was to look out for  
her fellows. Nothing else mattered in battle. Now, she had to  
be there for them again, but this time as a leader. Closing  
her eyes, she nodded gently, understanding her role for the  
time being, but still unclear on one other part. "Uncle, will  
Steele be able to effectively repla...fill in for you?"  
Felina was shocked as the word 'replace'; almost  
came out as the though of /anyone/ replacing her Uncle made  
her physically sick. She opened her eyes and looked up,  
hoping he didn't take offense at her near slip-up.  
  
"Believe it or not Felina, I think deep inside Steele has  
what it takes to succeed. I saw his entrance test, and  
disregarding rumor, he passed it without help from his  
family, in fact.." Feral paused, a small smile on his  
face.."he scored only slightly under you."  
  
Felina blinked, honestly shocked he scored /that/ well on  
his own.   
  
Feral nodded, then continued. "When I told him of my  
decision Felina, there was a... change, akin to a stuck door  
suddenly flung open, a fire in his eyes unlike I ever saw in  
him before emerged. I challenged his honor Felina, and I  
think I like the results." He paused and walked over to his  
niece, kneeling down and again taking her paw in his. "I  
think I made the best choice I could Felina. I need you to  
understand that."   
  
After what seemed like an eternity, Felina stood and  
smiled at him as a look of quiet acceptance filled her eyes.  
"I understand Uncle..and I promise to do the best job I can."  
Then, in an action that was certainly against every rule in  
the Enforcer Handbook, she hugged her Uncle with a tight  
embrace.   
  
Feral blinked, and chose to not press how undignified  
this was between different ranks. His own arms held his niece  
for a long moment until an all-too familiar alarm shattered  
their peace.   
  
"Trauma Team to ICU 4 STAT. Trauma to ICU 4 STAT"  
  
Felina paled.."Oh..Goddess..that's Callie's  
room!" and in an instant she was out the door, nearly shoving  
orderlies out of the way as she careened through the  
antiseptic halls of Megakat Memorial. Nearly at the door, she  
was stopped by the same intern who had checked up on Callie a  
few moments before Feral had come to take Felina to their  
discussion. "Let me go!" she yelled but the young intern held  
her close.   
  
"Lieutenant, you can't go in there!" Douglas said  
as he held Felina tightly. "Doctor Katzenberg and the trauma  
team are going to handle this. You'll only be in the  
way!" He blinked as Felina snarled at him, but held his  
ground long enough for an already present Sami and the just  
arriving Ulysses to pull her back, trying to calm the  
ballistic she-Kat as best they could. Nodding to Sami,  
Douglas released the she-Kat into their custody and  
disappeared into Calico's room.   
  
  
  
Moments later, Thomas and his team rounded the corner and  
disappeared into the room, as once again a feeling to total  
helplessness welled up in Felina's stomach. Tears  
unwelcomed began to flow down her cheek, the pit of her being  
somehow knowing that there would be no miracles this time.   
  
Pain.  
  
Total, all-consuming, never ending pain.   
  
There was no respite. Not a second. Not a moment.  
Nothing. It never ended. Every cell in her body screamed in  
agony. Tears ran down her face, spilling into the nothingness  
that still surrounded her. Her heart was beating like never  
before, blood surging through her body as if her heart was  
going to rupture.   
  
Another blast. Another lighting bolt lanced through her  
body. She wanted to beg for it to stop. She would give  
anything..body and soul..for it to end. But it  
wouldn't. Over and over she screamed as pain slammed  
into her. Over and over her tears welled up. Over and over  
she begged the Goddess to let her change her mind, to accept  
the everlasting peace that she had denied. But the Goddess  
refused and Callie Briggs whimpered as her body felt as if it  
would explode in neverending flame.   
  
"Arrrruuughhhh...."   
  
Merklyn winced at the sound of pure anguish that escaped  
the lips of the body that lay in agony before him. Still, he  
could not falter, not for a moment. To do so could destroy  
him, the Orb, and Calico as well. Holding his hands high, he  
focused the remaining power from the Orb of Prysmos and  
blanketed Callie's body with it, causing a scream of  
pure terror as the bluish-green light seemed to soak into  
every fiber of her being.  
  
Merklyn had not wanted the transfer to be this painful,  
but he could not have known beforehand that the dormant  
genetic code that enabled Calico's bloodline to wield  
magic had only recently started to rewrite her body's  
DNA. The trauma of the Swat Kats' death had started the  
process, but it had been too short a time, and her body had  
diverted too much energy to preventing the change from  
happening. All he could do now was overpower her defenses,  
and let what was needed to be occur.   
  
**Just the totems. That is all that is left Calico.  
Please..for everyone and everything you hold dear..hold on.  
Just a little while longer...** Merklyn silently beseeched  
the forces of light to protect their champion for just a  
little while longer. A final surge of power erupted from the  
Orb and into Calico's body, causing another scream of  
torment to explode from her lips.   
  
Images flooded Callie's mind as her body was  
assaulted over and over by pain that felt like it came from  
the underworld itself. Images of creatures both familiar and  
strange filled her thoughts; an eagle taking flight, a bear  
protecting it's cub, a proud and noble lion defending  
it's territory. A gorilla swinging through the treetops  
in search of food, a horrible looking creature from  
prehistory terrorizing the skies on leather wings. A shark  
gliding along the ocean currents, closing on its next prey.   
  
Suddenly, the images stopped. A blinding nothingness  
filled her body as the pain began to subside.  
Then..emptiness. No pain. No agony. Only the cool calmness of  
nothing. Slowly the ravaged she-Kat looked at Merklyn, her  
eyes awash with tears as the elder being knelt above her, a  
look of true and genuine concern on his ancient face.  
Although there was no way she could have stood, her eyes  
stayed fixed on her strange mentor as his words finally  
reached her conscious mind for processing.   
  
"...ou okay young one?"  
  
Slowly, a smile filled her features as the all-consuming  
blackness of needed sleep began to envelope her. Finding her  
voice, she was able to tell Merklyn just how she felt with  
two simple words. They summed up her feelings more than  
adequately.   
  
"That...sucked."  
  
Merklyn blinked as she drifted off into a dreamless  
slumber. Then, laughter unheard for a millennium slowly  
filled the void eternal that surrounded this most unlikely  
pair. Standing once more, the ancient wizard smiled and cast  
one final spell, this last gift of his own design. Soft  
blue-pink streams of light wrapped around Callie's  
unmoving body, then faded into her fur. A moment later she  
began to turn transparent and faded from sight as if she  
never existed in the first place.   
  
The ancient being watched as his new charge left this  
realm of existence and returned to her own. When her body  
faded completely from sight, Merklyn returned to the fog, his  
final words drifting forever in the night.   
  
"The dye is cast and all is as it should. May the light  
shine forever....".   
  
Jake and Chance looked at Arkatta with shocked  
expressions as her tale concluded. Neither of the pair could  
find words to break the stunned silence. After a few minutes,  
it was the elder sorceress' voice that finally broke  
the stillness. "I warned you." was all she said.   
  
Chance was the first to recover from the haze of  
confusion that enveloped him and Jake. Nodding, he looked at  
Arkatta. "I..ya..you did." He paused, shaking his head as if  
to force his fears and concerns into some coherent pattern. "  
I still.. I mean I just.. can't believe we're  
supposed to be.." he stopped, unable to say finish the  
sentence.  
  
"Dead.." was Jake's quiet finish to the morbid  
comment.   
  
Callista walked over and gently placed her hands on each  
shoulder of the stunned Kats. "Sir Razor..Sir T-Bone..we do  
not know for sure. All I know is what I saw momentarily in  
the time storm before you arrived here. Your flying machine  
plunged into the water and exploded. There is not way to know  
if you were to be inside when it was destroyed." She sighed,  
wishing silently to herself for understanding of the  
paradoxes unleashed that day. Instead, together they would  
need to piece the mystery bit by bit until a resolution was  
found.   
  
"But you said you never meant to bring us to Megalith  
City.." Jake began. "You only wanted to transport us from the  
Turbokat to a safe place in the water. "  
  
Callista nodded in agreement, but a soft sigh escaped her  
lips. "That is correct, my brave knight. But the power surge I  
mentioned must have come from somewhere. And that power is  
what hurled you both through the Narnstone Portal here to  
Megalith City, instead of a safe place in your own time." She  
paused, trying to find a way to give her friends some gleam  
of hope. "Perhaps, by working together, it might just be  
possible to find that power; and if we find the source..."  
  
"We can find a way to get back!" exclaimed Chance.   
  
Callista nodded in agreement, but Arkatta's voice  
suddenly interrupted... "The power that sent them here was  
great Callista, and despite our best efforts, no answers have  
been forthcoming." Slowly, she turned to face the two  
time-lost vigilantes..."It might be wise to accept that fact  
that your stay here will be for a great deal longer than your  
last visit. If not, so be it, but preparing for the worse  
might be a more prudent direction."  
  
Jake and Chance blinked, both wanting to dispute the  
words Arkatta had put forth, but neither could find a  
legitimate counter. Quickly the mood in the room turned  
somber, but Chance's voice broke the silence this time.  
"That well may be true ma'am, but we're the Swat  
Kats, and we've faced problems a lot harder than this.  
It may take us a while, but we're not going to give up.  
We'll find a way to return to Megakat City and this  
time Dark Kat's not going to stop us." The grin on  
Chance's face was infectious as Jake smiled in unison,  
prompting a look of unease from the ancient she-Kat.   
  
Before another word could be spoken a soft knock filled  
the room.   
  
"Enter" commanded Callista.  
  
A page, no more than eight at best, opened the door and  
warily entered. Callista recognized him as the cooks'  
assistant. Noticing the young boy's fear she softly  
smiled and waved the child into the room.   
  
"I'm s-sorry to b-bother you ma'a..your M..  
Majesty..b-but.." the boy began as he kneeled, upset at how  
everyone was staring at him. Especially the larger orange and  
black-striped Kat. Callista walked over and knelt down before  
the kitten, smiling broadly to reassure him.   
  
"It's okay Tobias. Is dinner ready?" she asked  
gently, trying to keep the boy from panicking away into a  
dead faint. Attempting to be as non-threatening as possible,  
Callista rubbed the boy's head, causing a ever so  
slight grin to cross the kitten's face.   
  
Nodding briskly, the silver furred and blacked-striped  
youngster relaxed slightly. "Yes ma'am. There's  
mutton, and fruit, and lots of bread. We even made that plum  
pudding that you like so much!" The boy beamed, but realized  
he was talking too much and quickly shut his mouth, looking  
at the ground. Half expecting to be yelled at for talking  
like that to the Queen, he was amazed when instead of  
disapproval a gentle laugh escaped from Callista.   
  
"Why thank you, Tobias. That is very nice of you. Would  
you run along and tell everyone that we will be there soon?"  
Callista grinned as the boy acted as if he had been asked to  
go slay a mighty dragon for her.   
  
"Yes, your Majesty!" the boy puffed up slightly, feeling  
on top of the world. Without another word the youngster  
saluted like the guards and at top speed dashed out of the  
room bound for the kitchen. A small round of laughter escaped  
from the gathered Kats as the mood lightened noticeably.  
  
Chance smiled.."I think he was trying to impress you,  
Callista."  
  
The young Queen nodded. "He was, but for all the wrong  
reasons." Seeing a look of puzzlement on his face she  
elaborated.. "Tobias is an orphan, his parents were killed  
several years ago in a mud slide south of the Dijor  
mountains. He's been here since, and I don't  
think we have a better page in the castle. But..he tries  
hard..too hard.. to prove himself to me. I think he's  
trying to pay me back for taking him in, although I keep  
hoping he will realize he does not owe me anything. Being the  
best Kat he can be is reward enough."   
  
Chance looked at Callista with a nod, understanding both  
her concerns and the boy's behavior. "He's just  
trying to find a way to balance the scales Callista. More  
than likely he feels a need to repay you for your kindness  
since you didn't have to take him in. Once he feels  
like the debt has been filled, even if it only exists in his  
mind, he'll be able to put it behind him and move on.  
The best thing is to let him find his own path in his own  
time." Not seeing the stunned look from his partner, Chance  
just smiled at Callista who nodded in acceptance of his  
logic.   
  
Arkatta looked at Chance, a expression of deep thought on  
her withered face. **His compassion is deep. That may not be  
a good sign...** her mind's eye commented. Realizing  
that this tom-Kat could be an unforeseen variable in her  
plans, Arkatta reluctantly accepted the fact that he would  
have to be told the whole truth. **Either that, or risk all we  
know being undone, even by the best of intentions...**.   
  
Jake looked over at Chance and smiled. "I don't  
know about you, partner, but I'm starving." Struggling  
against his aching body Jake rose halfway, but winced as that  
same body protested loudly and painfully. Gasps for air  
escaped his lips as he looked at Callista apologetically.  
"Sorry your Highness, but I might have to dine in the room  
tonight."  
  
Callista regretfully nodded and prepared to called a  
guard to bring food for Sir Razor when Chance laughed softly.  
"Not a chance buddy. If I gotta eat more pepper stew, so are  
you! Wait right here.." and with that the Swat Kat darted  
outside to the hall only returning a few moments later with a  
makeshift wheelchair. Arkatta and Callista looked at the  
contraption with interest, while Jake merely shook his head  
smiling. As Chance walked over to help Jake, Callista knelt  
over and peered at the device.  
  
"Sir T-Bone, what is this??" she asked with small amount  
of awe in her voice.   
  
"A wheelchair ma'am. Where we come from, this helps  
Kats with injuries get around and have the means to do things  
they normally couldn't."  
  
"When did you have time to put this together Chance?"  
  
The burly Kat looked at his partner and smirked.  
"Actually, I can't take credit. The town blacksmith  
gets all the credit for this baby. I ran into Sir Steele on  
my way to bathe and told him that you might need help getting  
around. So instead of having a guard carry you like a sack of  
kitty litter, I drew him a rough layout of a chair, and he  
got the smithy to cobble up this.." he commented, gesturing  
to the chair.  
  
Callista nodded in approval at her knight's foresight. "A clever   
idea, Sir T-Bone."   
  
Jake laughed, instantly regretting the action. After the  
pain subsided, he looked at Callista with a bit of humor in  
his eyes as Chance lowered him into the chair. "He gets them  
every now and then your Majesty. About once every decade!"  
  
Callista and Jake's laughter filled the room as  
Chance's only gentlemanly response (due to ladies being  
present) was a low growl from deep in his throat. This  
prompted another round of laughter, which Chance gave up on  
trying to defuse and started to push his tormentor (and  
former best friend) to the dining hall when Arkatta's  
voice caught his attention.  
  
"Sir T-bone. I have a few questions I would like to ask  
you, and I must be returning to my home soon. I do not wish  
to make you late for dinner, but they are of some importance  
and a few minutes of your time would be most helpful..." the  
elder Kat said.   
  
Callista looked at her mentor and cocked her head..."Is  
it of that importance Arkatta? Surely it can wait until after  
dinner?"  
  
"I am afraid not, my child. We shall be along shortly.  
Perhaps Sir Steele can escort Sir Razor?"  
  
Callista shook her head. "I will. Both knights have saved  
myself and my kingdom with little regard for their own  
safety. This will be a small repayment of that service."  
Walking over, Callista took the crude handles of the  
wheelchair and smiled at Jake. "I hope the change in driver  
is acceptable?" she asked with a hint of playfulness.   
  
"No complaints here." Jake chuckled as the pair slowly  
departed. Before rounding the corner of the door, he gave  
Chance a sly grin, a slight 'thumbs up' sign on  
his left paw, another point scored in their battle for  
Callista's attentions. Chance sighed and gave only a  
slight nod, accepting the point, but his look told Jake that  
the battle was far from over.   
  
Arkatta quietly studied the exchange, her feeling of  
uneasiness growing as the Swat Kats' concern for each  
other was bad enough; but this battle for the attentions of  
her pupil had far more dangerous repercussions. With a  
focused look, she walked over to the remaining Kat and looked  
up at him with a quizzical stare.   
  
Chance met her look, a bit uneasy himself as her glance  
upset him for some reason. Clearing his throat, he tried to  
break the silence when Arkatta's voice cut him off with  
the strangest of questions.   
  
"How much do you care for him, Sir T-Bone?"  
  
Chance blinked, the query catching him totally off guard.  
He looked at her with total confusion.   
  
"It is not a hard question to answer. How much do you  
care for him?"  
  
Chance swallowed hard, a ball of ice beginning to form in  
the pit of his stomach. "I would give my life for him  
Arkatta. After what we have been through I would think that  
would be obvious." He paused, looking at the figure before  
him. "Is he hurt that bad? Is he going to...?" Chance paused,  
unable to say the word Jake had filled in for him earlier.   
  
Arkatta shook her head, a paw reaching up to rest  
reassuringly on his forearm. "Not here, not now. But your  
compassion for him is without restraint. While that is a  
noble quality-rare in any time-it could prove to be terrible  
mistake."  
  
Chance looked at her, anger building in his eyes. "Please  
Arkatta! No more riddles. If Jake's in danger, I've got to know   
what..."  
  
Again her paw patted his forearm, quieting the upset  
warrior. She then hobbled over to the fire, warming her old  
bones as Chance walked behind her as panic joined the fear  
forming within his gut. Biting his tongue, Chance let the  
she-Kat find the words herself, knowing his being upset  
wouldn't help at all. After a long moment, Arkatta  
turned and sat down, her gaze solid on the young tom-Kat.  
  
"I am the one responsible for you and Sir Razor being  
here."  
  
Chance blinked once..then twice, not sure if he heard  
right. Clenching his fists, the Swat Kat glared at her,  
daring to not say anything as his anger would escape  
unchecked.   
  
"I do not blame you for being upset, but before you pass  
judgment hear me out." She paused, gesturing for him to sit  
in the chair Callista had recently occupied.   
  
Chance sat, still upset but holding it all in with a  
force of will he never suspected possessing until now.   
  
"What I am about to tell you Sir T-Bone is of such great  
importance I had to disregard all the ethical principles I  
hold dear. What will happen...what /must/ happen..is that  
crucial to everything we both hold close in our hearts. "  
Again she paused, letting her mind organize her concerns into  
something coherent. "Your compassion for your friend does you  
great credit, but there will come a time T-Bone where...if  
you save Razor from what appears to be a terrible fate...you  
will doom all that you see here, and all you love in your own  
time."  
  
Chance could only sit there, the color draining from his  
face.   
  
"You will reach home again noble knight. I do not know  
how, or when, but you will leave this time and once again be  
in your own. After your return, a great and terrible threat  
will emerge. Once more, the Swat Kats will take to the skies  
to protect their home and city from it. But in the process,  
to secure victory, you will be required to sacrifice your  
partner. /IF/ you do not allow this..if you save him... you  
will doom my world and yours...forever. "  
  
"B..but..h..how....?"   
  
"There will be a great evil, more powerful than ever to  
be seen on this world. I do not know the cause, but the  
results are all too clear; to stop the threat you must leave  
Razor to face certain death while you deliver the final blow.  
By the time you return, it will be too late. Razor will be  
lost, seemingly forever. "  
  
Chance felt his heart stop.   
  
To her credit, Arkatta felt for the young Kat, but she  
could not let her personal feelings get in the way of saving  
all she held dear. But to leave him hanging like this was  
torture so she quickly resumed.   
  
"In fact, Razor will not be dead but here in Megalith  
City some years in our future. After many failed attempts to  
return home, he will begin to carve a life for himself. And  
in time, that life will include his hand in marriage to  
Callista."  
  
What little breath Chance had left was savagely expelled  
as another deeply personal dream was wrenched from his soul.  
He felt numb all over, unable to speak or move as Arkatta  
continued.  
  
"In time, their marriage will produce a child. A  
beautiful daughter that will cause the gods themselves to be  
envious. They will be a happy family, full of love and life  
that has escaped both your friend and my Queen for the  
longest time." She faltered, a dark look passing over her  
face. "However, it will not last. A long forgotten spell will  
be tried in one final attempt to reach you Sir T-Bone."  
  
"But..why? If..if he's got Callista, why..."   
  
Arkatta shook her head, amazed at how this Kat could be  
so empathic and unaware at the same time. "To give you a  
sense of closure and dispel the grief of your loss. As the  
spell is completed, a doorway will open into your  
world's future where Callista and Razor will see the  
ruin that was once his home now engulfed by creatures of  
nightmare. They run rampant as their leader..an evil being of  
unnatural creation..feasts on the bodies of those who tried  
to stop him. Their power will grow unchecked until your  
entire world is theirs to do with as they please."  
  
There was no sound from Chance, his mind racing as he  
tried to understand it all.   
  
"They will use all the powers at their disposal to see  
how the fall happened and where the focal point occurred.  
Upon that discovery, it is then that their happiness will  
shatter totally. They will see that the technology your world  
possessed was unable to stop the wave of darkness, and with  
no wielders of magic in your time there was no hope. Unable  
to send themselves and leave Megalith City to her enemies-but  
just as unwilling to leave your time unguarded-a painful  
choice will be made. Their precious baby daughter will be  
sent to the future, memories of her life here erased. She  
will grow up there, learn the ways of the modern world. And,  
when the time comes, her natural control over the forces of  
magic will stop the cataclysm, ensuring the safety of  
generations to come. " Arkatta stopped, giving Chance much  
needed time to pull himself together.   
  
To his own credit, Chance quickly pulled the pieces of  
the puzzle before him into a simple picture..."S..so. If..if  
I save Razor, then he won't travel back in time. If he  
doesn't travel back in time, his daughter won't be born. If   
she's not born, then she can't be sent to the future and if   
she's not in the future..."  
  
"Then there will be no future." finished Arkatta.   
  
Chance staggered to his feet, his mind a whirl of fear  
and terror as the insight of what was to be shattered him to  
the core. After forever passed, his voice returned to ask a  
question..."Their daughter in our time..will she know  
what..will she know the truth? How can I find her when the  
time comes..?"   
  
"You do not know her true identity?" she asked, surprised  
etched on her weathered face.   
  
Chance shook his head.  
  
"Their daughter will be a warrior of words for most of  
her life, defending the innocent in her own way. That will be  
taken from her, and from the depths of her deepest despair  
her true self will begin to emerge. That self will be all  
that stands in the way of terror for a thousand generations.  
Yet, until that transformation, no one..not even you and Sir  
Razor, will have ever suspected her true role in the future  
of MegaKat City."  
  
Chance looked at her, turning a ghastly shade of white.  
"Yo..you mean we know her??"  
  
Arkatta nodded as she reached over, gently holding the  
paw of the troubled tom-Kat. The male looked down and with an  
almost reverent voice as he begged the answer to be revealed.  
"Who..who is she??"  
  
"The daughter of Sir Razor and Callista is well known to  
you, Sir T-Bone. She is the Swat Kats' greatest  
ally..and the one love you have forbade yourself from  
following so the Swat Kats will remain unbroken..."  
  
Chance stopped breathing, the realization of who Arkatta  
was referring to hitting him like a ton of bricks. Tears ran  
down his eyes as his knees were no longer able to support  
him, the warrior sinking to the hard floor in a fit of  
distress. For long moments he could say nothing, but slowly,  
her name escaped his lips, as if the necessary conclusions  
would only be justified by his own voice. The word filled the  
room..and his heart..with a heavy light.   
  
"Callie...".   
  
Chance Furlong clenched his fists and shook in mortal  
fear as deep in his heart he knew it all to be true...  
  
What sound ends the world?   
  
What does one hear when emptiness is all there is?  
  
What does the archangel sing as all becomes nothing?   
  
For a doctor, the song is never welcomed. In this case,  
nevermore was it so. The biomonitor was respectfully muted,  
the shrill, even call silenced as time itself seemed to pay  
its final respects.   
  
There is no song now; at least none the living could  
hear. There are only words to give the life a macabre sense  
of closure.  
  
Three little words to be precise.  
  
"She's gone, Thomas."  
  
The words sounded hollow, as if the life before him was  
over..just like.../that/? That was all necessary to close a  
life of service and dedication to her fellow Kats?   
  
Tears began to fall from Thomas Katzenberg's eyes  
as he drew the sheet over the lifeless form. "Time of death?"  
he whispered, mostly from terrible habit.  
  
"2:47 P.M." whispered Douglas Kowser, his own face wet  
with grief.  
  
Thomas nodded. Little words. That is what life boiled  
down to at this moment. A lifetime of effort and achievement  
put into a neat little package.   
  
More tears fell, spotting the sheet below him.   
  
Little words was all that was left.   
  
And Calico Briggs deserved so much more.   
  
Slowly Thomas and his staff walked out, unable to hide  
the despair that infected their spirits. As the others left  
to file respective reports on Calico's death, it fell  
to Thomas to be the bearer of the news.  
  
Ulysses and Felina looked up at the doctor as he emerged  
from the room which held Callie. The elder Feral saw the look  
on the healer's face and knew what had happened. He  
tensed, reflexively holding his niece closer, as if he could  
somehow protect her from the tragedy about to occur.   
  
Felina knew as soon as she saw the look in  
Katzenberg's eyes that Callie was gone. "N..no..please  
Goddess..no.." she whimpered. Clutching at her uncle's  
arm, she felt her legs try to give out, only continuing to  
stand with the help from him and Sami.   
  
Sami herself just stood there, stunned. Even though she  
personally didn't know Calico Briggs all that well, the  
loss of the most respected She-Kat in Megakat City was nearly  
more than she could handle. The tears ran down her face,  
soaking her fur with sorrow.   
  
"How..?" asked Ulysses quietly.   
  
"Massive systems failure Mayor." Thomas took off his  
glasses, wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his smock.  
Looking up at the trio he tried to continue..."All of her  
major systems--nervous, lympathic circulatory--everything  
just..stopped. I've never seen this before. It's  
as if her body just..gave up. I know..this doesn't mean  
much now..but I doubt she felt any pain. She went quickly  
Lieutenant."  
  
Felina just stood there in shock, a slight nod her only  
reply available.   
  
"Can we see her Doctor. To say good-bye?"   
  
Thomas shook his head at Sami. "I'm sorry. She's not ..you   
don't need to see her like she is. I don't want you to remember   
her like that. She wouldn't want that either."  
  
Sami wanted to protest, but a slight squeeze from  
Felina's paw on her arm quieted her for the moment.  
  
Feral looked at the doctor and placed a paw on the elder  
Kat's shoulder. "I know you did what you could Thomas.  
She also wouldn't want you to blame yourself. "  
  
Thomas nodded, but it was clear he did just that. "Maybe  
if I had caught her symptoms earlier..put her on light  
duty.." he sighed, knowing that somehow he had failed beyond  
redemption.   
  
  
  
"It's not your fault sir.." began Felina.  
"There's only one Kat who needs to take the blame for  
this..".   
  
Ulysses looked at his niece, and now saw not just grief,  
but blood-red rage in her eyes. He had seen that look only  
once before, but it was enough to stay etched in his mind,  
blissfully forgotten until now.   
  
"Felina..." began Feral softly but with clear intent for  
her to not continue.  
  
"Uncle, this is all Dark Kat's fault and you know  
it! He /HAS/ to be made to pay!"  
  
Sami turned and looked at her friend, her face filled  
with so many emotions. Grief at the loss of Calico, fear at  
Felina's barely held rage, worry for what the future  
would be like with all that had happened. Somewhere deep in  
her soul, Sami knew that it would be alright..it would  
/have/ to be. But she also knew that if Felina gave into the  
rage now, would she be lost as well after all was said and  
done?   
  
"Felina..please. We'll get Dark Kat. I promise you.  
He'll pay for everything he's done to you, to  
Callie, to our city."   
  
To Sami's relief, Felina just nodded, unable to say  
anything lest her anger be vented upon the wrong Kat. Closing  
her eyes, she leaned against her Uncle, trying to find an  
inner calm amongst the emotional storm she found herself  
trapped in.   
  
Ulysses held his niece, his gaze starting to drift  
towards Thomas when his radio broke the silence.   
  
"Mayor Feral, come in. Lieutenant Commander Steele to  
Mayor Feral. Come in.."  
  
Sami and Felina glanced towards each other, wondering  
what was going on now.   
  
"Mayor. Code magenta sir. Do you read me?"  
  
The blood in the two Ferals froze as the words sank  
in. Sami's eyes widened as Felina's darkened considerably.  
  
Thomas looked around confused. "Code Magenta..what's code..?"   
he began, but the elder Feral's swipe for his walkie cut the   
doctor short.   
  
"Steele! What the blazes is going on?!"  
  
"We've got Viper at Megakat Biochem, Hard Drive and  
the Metallikats at Pumadyne, and an unidentified airship on  
route to MegaTron Labs! Best guess..it's Dark Kat sir."  
Steele's voice was deceptively calm considering what he  
just said.   
  
"Blast it all!" shouted Felina. "Those bastards..they're   
trying to divide us..split forces. But..why? I mean..all three   
companies have moved their top secret stuff to other labs as a   
precaution until the Megakat city branches could be repaired.   
What could be left that..."  
  
"Project Victory..." whispered Ulysses.   
  
Sami looked at a very confused Dr. Katzenberg to a  
pensive Mayor to a shaking Felina. Needing to understand what  
was going on, she turned to the elder Feral.."Sir...  
What's Project Victory? And how does that relate to  
this code Magenta?" Sami didn't want to overstep her  
bounds, but the sinking feeling in her gut had to be abated.  
And that could only be accomplished with information.  
Information only Mayor Feral seemed to possess.   
  
Feral looked at the young Enforcer and sighed.."Project  
Victory was created by MegaTron Labs and Pumadyne as the last  
line of defense against nuclear attack by either rogue forces  
with missile access or..."  
  
"...other forces, such as Dark Kat, who would rather destroy  
MegaKat City rather than lose. It's an energy shield, meant to keep   
the entire city safe in case of outside attack." Felina quietly added.   
  
"But what could Dark Kat want with an energy shield that  
keeps attacks out?" Thomas asked. "Surely, even on the off  
chance he could take over the entire city, the President  
wouldn't sanction a nuclear response....would she?"  
  
"No..but think Doctor. If a shield is designed to keep  
forces out, wouldn't it stand to reason that it could  
be designed to..." Feral began  
  
"..keep people in!" finished Sami. "Goddess..he could  
envelope the entire city from the rest of the world!"  
  
"Not just that Sami, but the entire project is powered by  
a reactor. And where there's a reactor.."   
  
Thomas paled as Felina's statement registered.  
"Oh..my..he could detonate the core and decimate the city!"  
  
"It's worse than that Thomas," Ulysses said as he  
looked at the shocked healer.." The core isn't nuclear  
...it's antimatter based.."  
  
Silence filled the room.   
  
Felina looked at her uncle as all the blood froze in her  
lithe body. "Goddess..Uncle..that means..that means.."  
  
"If he succeeds, there will be nothing left for anyone to  
salvage. The entire world could well be obliterated."  
  
A deafening quiet filled the room once more for long  
moments until Steele's voice broke through the  
stillness. "Mayor..this is Steele. Come in.."  
  
Feral looked down and grasped his radio. "Commander, you  
have full authority to activate project Doomsday. I repeat,  
you are GO for project Doomsday."  
  
"Understood Mayor. Good luck sir.." Steele said quietly,  
the channel closing with a soft click.  
  
"To us all..." whispered Feral.   
  
Both Sami and Felina looked considerably paler than a few  
moments ago, both of them having heard rumors about project  
Doomsday, but neither ever expecting it to be sanctioned.   
  
"Uncle...." began Felina, but Feral's look stopped  
her flat.   
  
"No arguments on this Felina. I know the risks."  
  
"Yes sir..but..please.."  
  
"I'll be careful Felina. But I don't want you  
to go after Dark Kat solo."  
  
"But..he has to pay for what he's.."  
  
"That's an /order/ Lieutenant!" Feral stressed as  
his voice gave no room for argument. "I expect it to be  
obeyed to the fullest. Am I /clear/ on that?" His tone  
shocked Thomas and Sami, but both knew there was little room  
for interruption on Felina's part.   
  
"As crystal sir." was Felina's only reply, her  
fists clenched in anger.   
  
Feral saluted. "Good luck then." and he saluted.   
  
Felina responded likewise and turned to go, not allowing  
herself to give her Uncle a final hug good-bye.   
  
Sami saluted as well, and turned to go when Feral's  
voice got her attention.   
  
"Higgins...? "  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Watch out for her. Please."  
  
Sami blinked at the request, but nodded in understanding.  
"I will sir. "  
  
Sami turned to follow Felina, but stopped short when she  
saw her friend staring at Callie's door. There was a  
glistening of tears on the young she-Kat's face as  
Felina softly put her hand on the door to the room that held  
the remains of a woman she admired more than she could ever  
admit.   
  
**I'll make him pay Callie..if it's the last  
thing I ever do. I swear it.** thought Felina as she felt  
Sami's presence beside her. Looking over she nodded  
only once and as she forced her grief down, a plan began to  
from in her mind. One that had great risks, but maybe..just  
maybe..was their only hope for success.   
  
And it would only cost Felina her life.   
  
Thomas watched Sami and Felina depart, then looked over  
at Feral. "Mayor..what is going on? Why is this project  
Doomsday so dangerous?"  
  
Feral looked at the Doctor and shook his head. "No time  
Thomas. Suffice it to say you need to prepare your staff for  
the worst." With that, he began to leave, pausing only long  
enough to gaze at Callie's room, a soft prayer echoing  
in his mind.   
  
**Dust to dust...** echoed the thought in Feral's  
mind. *Perhaps she's with her beloved Swat Kats. At any  
rate, now she can rest...* With that, he went to the elevator  
and made for the parking deck.  
  
A confused Thomas stared at the door to Callie's  
room for a long moment. Alone and out of the loop, all he  
could do was his duty; ready the autopsy on Calico and  
prepare as best he could for the unknown results of Project  
Doomsday. Although Callie was beyond his help, Thomas felt  
compelled to give her life a proper closure. If nothing else,  
he could at least say good-bye. Taking a deep breath and  
gathering his resolve, he opened the door and walked into ICU  
4.  
  
That same resolve crumbled as the door shut behind a  
shocked Thomas Katzenberg as his gaze fell to the spot were  
less than five minutes before the body of Calico Briggs  
rested. Now there was nothing.   
  
Callie was gone.   
  
"What the hell??!!" shouted Thomas as he rushed to the  
empty bedside. Staring in disbelief the healer felt panic  
nudging at his gut. Denying the sensation, he leapt to the  
first logical conclusion anyone would have in the same  
situation.   
  
"This is not happening."   
  
The room chose not to reply.   
  
Closing his eyes, Thomas counted to five and took another  
deep breath. Slowly, he opened them and gazed at the bed.   
  
Callie was still gone.   
  
Beginning to wonder if the grief of losing his  
goddaughter was effecting him mentally, Thomas shook his head  
to clear it. It was then something caught his eye. Something  
that was very out of place.   
  
The window was open.   
  
When he left, the window was closed.   
  
That means...  
  
**No! Impossible! She couldn't have left the  
hospital. One, she was dead! Two, we're over 8 stories  
high. And three..**  
  
Thomas sighed 'Three'; was a rather moot  
point since number one was a pretty good argument against her  
leaving.   
  
"The wind blew it open. That's all." Thomas said to  
the room, as if trying to convince himself of the futility of  
what his heart was reaching for.   
  
It was then Thomas noticed one other item that had eluded  
his awareness until now. There, stuck in the right side of  
the window frame, there was a royal blue feather. Deep in  
hue, the feather swayed in the breeze, almost glistening in  
the midday sunlight.   
  
Walking over, Thomas gently took the feather from  
it's resting place and shut the window. He dropped his  
gaze, scanning the object for some clue..some piece...that  
would shed light on the disappearance of Calico Briggs.   
  
But the blue feather held it's secrets tightly. For now......  
  
  
  



	3. Chapter Four: Birth and Rebirths

quick note: This chapter contains characters from another universe 'katified' for this story. Any copyrights belong to original holders.  
  
  
  
Swat Kats Ashes to Ashes Part IV Birth and Rebirths   
  
Elsewhen in the Nexus of Time, the point at where all realities converge,  
Merklyn watched in quiet contemplation as events unfolded faster than expected.  
Having seen his young champion awaken from her slumber, the wizard felt assured  
that the next few hours would be the most crucial to the success or failure of his  
plan. Knowing he could not be there in person to guide Calico Briggs, he would at  
least be there in spirit at her final acceptance of the destiny awaiting her embrace.   
  
The eagle soared high over Megakat City, lost in the mix of animal instinct  
and a feeling of freedom that only flying could give so completely. Gliding on the  
warm air currents, the crystal blue avian looked down below on the city that used  
to be her cage; it seemed so small now. Trapped. That was the best way to  
describe it. Before, there had been no escape from the confinement the city  
possessed. To go back was nearly unthinkable. Here she could stay forever,  
surrounded by the glorious sky.   
  
"No! Stay away from my daughter!" echoed the fear-laced plea, carried to  
the sky and to the birds' ears. Casting a glance downward, her expanded vision  
locked onto the source of the sound and if she still had the physical ability to do  
so, a mask of anger would now fill her expression. Even here, in the vastness of  
sky, evil gave her no peace. Catching a down draft the eagle dipped lower, her  
desire to be lost in the clouds drowned by a small voice echoing from deep within  
her spirit; a voice that could not be silent when such injustice tried to go  
unpunished.  
  
"Your choice lady. Hand over the purse now."   
  
"But..but I can't! We'll won't have the money to sleep anywhere!" the deep  
brown she-Kat pleaded. Dressed in a deep purple sweater and blue trousers, the  
woman backed up as her attacker stepped closer.   
  
As her cries fell upon deaf ears, Katjack took another step towards the  
mother and daughter he had waylaid in the twilight the tall buildings gave so easily  
in this part of the city. Even as he approached, the mother clutched her golden-  
furred daughter close as the youngster kept her stuffed bear wrapped within her  
own arms.   
  
"You leave my mommy alone!" the girl directed, breaking from her mom's  
grasp as her pink dress blurred, her foot connecting with Katjack's shin. Her  
pointed shoes dug deep into the punk's leg.   
  
"Ouch! You miserable little rugrat!" he cursed, a red furred-arm lanced out  
and connected with the kitten's mouth, causing her mother's eyes to narrow in pure  
anger as her daughter staggered and fell backwards into her arms. A trickle of  
blood began to form in the corner of the child's mouth. Rebecca shook in moral  
rage, vowing that her daughter would not die in this cold gray city if she had any  
say in the matter. She may not make it back to Cape Suzette, but her daughter  
would make it home somehow.   
  
Suddenly, a shrill cry filled the air as with blinding speed, razor sharp talons  
raked across Katjack's face. Blood began to seep through his fur and he screamed  
in pain.   
  
"ARUGHHHH!"   
  
Not knowing what had happened, the teen-aged punk lashed out blindly,  
trying to fend off whatever had assaulted him. Although unable to connect on his  
first two attempts, the solid 'whump' of contact on his forearm told he had hit  
something. A crashing sound filling the air seconds later to his left. Unable to see  
as the blood covered his eyes, Katjack missed the swift kick to his groin Rebecca  
Cunningham planted with her foot. Doubling over in agony the tom-Kat was  
assaulted with several punishing blows to his stomach as a mothers' rage was set  
free. No longer willing to settle for the purse, Katjack lashed out again and used  
his feet to shove the she-Kat into a group of trash cans. Eyes wide as saucers,  
Mollie Cunningham raced over to her mother as the tom staggered to his feet, a  
small boot knife making its way into his paw.   
  
"That's gonna cost you bit..." he began, but was cut off by a terrible roar  
composed of boundless fury. Turning, he looked for the sound which had came  
from the same area as the impact crash moments ago. Using the back of his paw to  
wipe what blood he could away, Katjack froze in mortal terror as an image of  
death personified raised out of the trash pile to fix him with a terrible gaze.   
  
Like a phoenix from the ashes, the crystal blue bear rose up to her full  
height of over 8 ft, the sheer size of her body nothing compared to the anger that  
bellowed for release. With a fearsome charge the bear surged forth, a massive  
swipe of her paw digging deep into Katjack's weapon arm, causing the terrified  
Kat to scream in pain. Dropping the knife he staggered back, mind and body nearly  
paralyzed by complete and total fear.   
  
Using her prey's paralysis to full advantage, the massive bear hurled the Kat  
to the far end of the alley where Katjack rolled on the ground like a bowling ball,  
finally striking a lamppost. The beaten punk, in a fit of self-preservation, staggered  
to his feet and ran faster than he thought possible from the nightmare the alley had  
become.   
  
Rebecca clutched her daughter close, wondering what would happen next  
in this crazy city. She watched the massive creature turn around and glare back at  
her, midnight black eyes fixated upon her. Closing her own eyes, she prayed for  
deliverance.   
  
"Mommy..mommy look!"   
  
Eyes snapping open, Rebecca focused on the immense figure of the bear  
that had..for a reason she could not fathom...saved her and her daughters' life.  
Finally seeing what Mollie noticed, Rebecca gasped as a glow seemed to shimmer  
around the bear. Like sunlight through stained glass, a flickering sheen washed  
over the bear in a symphony of color. As if drenching the mammoth totem in liquid  
light, the glow permeated every fiber of her being as magically-enhanced DNA  
gave way to normal genetic code. As the bear began to fade out, another form  
began to fade in, any specific features momentary lost in the cacophony of light  
and shadow. Seconds passed until the light faded and a dazed and exhausted  
looking she-Kat lay nude upon the cold ground.   
  
Rebecca looked at the prone figure as a state of shock threatened to  
surround her. Clutching her daughter close, she started to inch away from the  
figure.   
  
"Come on sweetie, let's go..' she said very softly.   
  
"But mommy..we can't go..she's hurt!" and with that the young kitten ran  
over, eliciting a look of terror from her mother's face.   
  
"Mollie!" she whispered urgently, but the gesture was failed from the  
beginning as her daughter stood beside the figure and looked wide-eyed.   
  
"Uhm...are you okay?" the kitten's voice asked tentatively.   
  
A soft moan of pain was the only answer as Rebecca pulled up behind her  
daughter. Watching intently, Rebecca watched as the figure started to move  
slightly as Calico Briggs regained some semblance of consciousness.   
  
"Are you okay?" whispered the kitten as the pretty she-Kat looked awake  
enough to hear her this time.   
  
Ignoring the pain she felt in every fiber of her being, Callie looked at the  
kitten, then her mom, through half-closed eyes. Sitting up fully she shivered as the  
chilly air ran across her bare form. Then, the soft caress of a purple sweater draped  
over her shoulders, providing some measure of decency as Rebecca ignored the  
chill in favor of helping the dazed looking woman who had rescued them. Now  
clad in her white undershirt and blue pants, Rebecca spoke softly.   
  
"My name is Rebecca. Are you ..can you understand me?"   
  
Callie looked at the slightly older woman and nodded, trying hard to focus  
through the rush of emotions she was feeling. Glancing up she tried to smile..  
"Are..are..y..you..o..oka...?" she managed to get out. Rebecca nodded  
slightly.   
  
"Thanks to you Miss...?"   
  
Mollie looked up and frowned.   
  
"Mom!" she whispered urgently. Glancing down, Rebecca was taken back  
by the look of disbelief on her daughters' face. "You can't ask her real name. She's  
a super hero and we're not supposed to know!" Mollie informed her, wishing -not  
for the first time- that adults didn't make everything so complicated.  
/EVERYONE/ knows you don't ask a super hero their real name. It's against the  
rules.   
  
Rebecca glanced at the youngster, then at the sweater-covered she-Kat.  
With a soft nod she respected her daughter's wishes and decided that now was not  
the time to complicate matters further.   
  
Callie looked at this pair of strangers and tried to focus on their well being  
instead of the massive confusion she herself felt. A mix of jumbled images..the  
hospital, Merklyn, her and Felina at each others' throats, the realization of how  
much she truly lost the day the Swat Kats died. All this tried to overwhelm her and  
-for a brief moment- it had succeeded. In those few seconds while in her bear form  
Calico had lost everything to the sheer rush of instinct her totem released. Nothing  
mattered but destroying the enemy. Looking at her own paws, Callie swore she  
could still see the blood on her hands from her attack on the punk. Or was it blood  
from her own part in the death of Jake and Chance?   
  
Standing with a great deal of effort, Callie reached her feet but staggered as  
her body protested. Grabbing the corner of a garbage dumpster, she steadied  
herself. Images still swirled through her mind, hauntingly reminding her of what  
had been, and what was yet to come but with an effort she pulled the sweater fully  
over her body as the oversized garment ended sufficiently below her waist to  
preserve some measure of modesty.   
  
"Look miss, you shouldn't be out here like this.." Rebecca noted. "We were  
on our way to a shelter when that son of a.." Mollie fixed her mom with a quizzical  
look. "..pink flamingo waylaid us." Rebecca finished, only just catching herself.   
  
Mollie giggled because calling someone the kid of a pink flamingo was  
really funny. She'd have to call Kit that next time her brown-furred brother acted  
all big in his britches.  
  
"Why..a..shelter?" Callie asked with a bit of effort.   
  
"You don't know?"   
  
"Know..what?" Callie's voice became an even whisper.   
  
"They said on the radio that a bunch of villains are attacking places all  
around the city. The..Enforcers..?" she paused, not sure if that was the correct  
name. Callie nodded. "..the Enforcers are handling someone called Wiper at some  
research facility and Gigabyte and the Metali-something at another research  
facility.."   
  
Callie slammed her fist against the side of the dumpster, the metal not  
giving but the effort making her feel marginally better.   
  
"I should have known; without the Swat Kats here, the city's wide open for  
those scumbags!" She took a few seconds to compose herself and looked at  
Rebecca. "You're right to get to a shelter."   
  
"Then that's why they called a city wide emergency? I though it was that  
Dark Kat person they mentioned that was.." Rebecca paused as a terrible chill ran  
down her spine as the woman before her did a total 180 emotionally, her body  
going taut and eyes burning with a deep anger.  
  
"Dark Kat? You..you said Dark Kat?" the voice hard as diamond. Rebecca  
nodded softly, a sick feeling growing in her stomach.   
  
"Is this Dark Kat..?" she started to ask, but was cut off by Calico's firm  
nod.   
  
"He's the reason for the evacuation, and all the damage you've seen. He  
was responsible for it all."   
  
Rebecca paled and pulled Mollie back to her out of reflex.   
  
"My..Goddess .One Kat did all that?"   
  
Callie nodded again, trying to find a calm center which to hold onto as she  
attempted to survive the maelstrom of anger she felt building inside. Looking over  
at Rebecca she sighed..  
  
"He's not just one Kat. He's..evil personified Rebecca. So many good Kats  
have been lost to his designs. And..he..he's the reason I was given my powers; to  
stop him no matter the cost."  
  
Mollie looked wide-eyed at the woman and sniffled.   
  
"But..you can't .You ain't feeling good and if he's such a bad man then he  
might hurt you!" and the young kitten broke from her mom's grasp and wrapped  
her arms around her new friend, wanting to keep her safe from the bad person who  
had upset her and made her Mommy worry.  
  
Callie gently kneeled down, brushing the hair from Mollie's tear filled eyes.   
  
"Shush honey..I'll be okay. I can't let him hurt other people. There are other  
kids who need their moms and I have to make sure they all stay safe. I promise to  
be careful. Okay..?"   
  
Mollie sniffled again but nodded bravely. "Promise?"   
  
Callie nodded. "Promise."   
  
Rebecca looked at the she-Kat before her.   
  
"I can never repay you for helping us. You saved both me and my daughter  
from something too horrible to contemplate. I just want to say..'thank you' " and  
with that she offered her paw. Callie shook it warmly.   
  
"Thank you Rebecca. You have a very brave daughter there. I can see  
where it comes from." Rebecca smiled, tinting slightly red at the compliment.   
  
Callie smiled and began to turn when a sudden stabbing pain lanced  
through her gut like a hot poker. Wincing, she cried out as her stomach twisted in  
agony.   
  
"Goddess..he's..he's here!" she cried out, looking at the sky as a shadow fell  
over the city as Dark Kat's airship passed overhead, it's final approach to  
MegaTron Labs..and victory.. under way. Callie shook in anger and agony as she  
watched the vessel soar away, the metal skin seemingly radiating darkness as it  
moved along.   
  
Rebecca wanted to help, but this was so far beyond her. She came to  
MegaKat City for a simple transportation conference; a way to be more  
competitive and maybe make a few business contacts. But..this; Kats with super  
powers, megalomaniac villains and the rest was so far out of her ordinary  
experiences she simply didn't understand it all. Planes, cargo..the fastest way from  
'A' to 'B', running Higher for Hire back home in Cape Suzette; these were things  
that made sense. Not this insanity of existence she and her daughter found  
themselves entrenched within. But..despite the confusion, she knew, by maternal  
instincts or female insight, that this pain-filled woman before her was part of  
something bigger than all of this. She /knew/ this to be true; how or why she knew  
this was irreverent. Turning to her new friend, Rebecca took her shoulders gently.  
  
"It's all coming to an end, isn't it? It's all leading up  
to..something..incredible. Am I right?" Callie could only nod, the pain only slightly  
receding as the airship moved further on. "Then you've got to fight the pain. Fight  
the fear. I've seen you..your strong. You can do this." Rebecca spoke softly,  
realizing that perhaps this could be the only way to repay the debt she felt to the  
stranger that saved her and Mollie's life.   
  
Callie nodded, wanting to so desperately to believe her. But the images..her  
failure costing the Swat Kats their lives..her fear of what cost these new powers  
had. All this and more gnawed at her, keeping her courage pinned down. She hated  
herself like this; indecisive, unsure. She had faltered when Merklyn's choice came  
due, and now was doing the same all over again. She knew Dark Kat had to be  
defeated, but as the burden of her calling clarified she found herself doubting once  
more.   
  
"I believe in you. " Rebecca simply stated. "I /know/ you can do this. You  
said you had to keep all the children and their mothers safe. Then /do/ it..or this  
Dark Kat's won without firing a shot. You could be the only hope this city has."  
Rebecca had no clue as to where these words came from; they seemed to have life  
unto their own. Yet, more than anything, they /felt/ right.   
  
Callie blinked, and accepted the logic placed before her. Merklyn had  
trusted her with his legacy; she would be worthy of that trust or die trying.  
Standing, she forced the fear deep down and tapping into the same strength she  
found at the Swat Kats' funeral, she stood in defiance of Dark Kat and all that he  
represented. She /knew/ now that this was indeed her destiny; her light against his  
darkness; her hope against his despair. To defeat Dark Kat, she would be his  
opposite. Looking at distant shape of Dark Kat's hover ship, the agony in her gut  
was replaced by a fire lit by Merklyn's belief in her to succeed, the memory of her  
best friends, and the faith a stranger had in her spirit.   
  
**Jake and Chance gave their lives to save this city..their home..and I'll be  
DAMMED if Dark Kat is going to take that from us ever again!**   
  
Merklyn closed his eyes and began to speak, knowing beyond a shadow of  
doubt that it was now or never. Council of Time or not, he had to act now or  
everything could be forfeit. Transcending all between him and his champion, his  
voice rang out clear and firm.   
  
"Calico Briggs Now..for all you hold dear May the light.   
"....shine forever!" finished Callie as Merklyn's voice faded from her mind.   
  
The ancient wizard had done his part in trusting her with his legacy; now it  
was all up her to see that legacy put to good use. A wondrous glow enveloped  
Callie's body as Merklyn's final gift was revealed. As if erupting from within her  
soul, a blue and pink stream of light surrounded the former deputy mayor. Starting  
at her feet, the light swirled around her counterclockwise placing a crystal blue  
togs on her legs as matching knee-high boots materialized upon her feet. Moving  
upwards, the light fashioned a blue tunic to replace the borrowed sweater Callie  
had been wearing. Around her waist, a soft pink belt appeared, the buckle showing  
a bright yellow sunburst in the middle. The long sleeve tunic ended with a slight  
cuff, as half-gloves in matching blue materialized on her paws. Swirling higher, the  
final touches began to form as Callie felt her golden hair flowing backwards into a  
single ponytail as a mask of cobalt blue (much like the ones Jake and Chance  
wore) appeared on her face to protect her identity from those that would exploit  
such knowledge. At the end, as the light faded, a long cloak appeared around her  
shoulders, crystal blue with a pink trim down the right side and bottom. Mollie and  
Rebecca stared in awe as the light before them faded, and the she-Kat that had  
saved their lives stood before them transformed.  
  
Mollie looked at the lady with a great deal of wonderment and a bit of  
pride that she had been the first to see a brand new super hero born! Rebecca took  
a hesitant step forward as the final gleams of light faded from the transformation.  
Finally finding her voice, she asked..  
  
"Are you okay? W.what happened?"   
  
Callie turned and looked at these two who had helped her so much in so  
short a time. With a soft smile she replied..  
  
"Change Rebecca. Who I was.. didn't have the power to do what had  
to be done, so ..for now..this is who I need to be."   
  
"And..who..is that?" Rebecca asked carefully.   
  
A smile crossed Callie's lips as she answered.   
  
"Lighthope."   
  
Rebecca stood there, amazed at how different the she-Kat before her  
appeared. Her daughter, on the other hand, was squirming with excitement.   
  
"Oh wow! You look so neat!" giggled the excitable 6 year old kitten.   
  
Lighthope bent over and ruffled Mollie's hair before the young kitten gave  
her a ferocious hug. After a few moments they separated as the heroine stood.   
  
"I have to go now. There's not a lot of time."   
  
Mollie nodded, understanding a lot more than someone her age was  
'supposed' to. But despite all of that happened; all that she understood, she was  
scared for her new friend.   
  
"You promise to be careful, right??" she asked hopefully. "I promise. " said  
Lighthope, only then turning to look at Rebecca. "Rebecca..I.." she began, but was  
cut off by a soft look. "I know. Just..be careful?" Lighthope nodded, and with a  
gentle step forward embraced the she-Kat tightly. Before long, both were on the  
edge of tearing up and each pulled away. Mollie wrapped her arms around her  
mom's leg as Lighthope turned towards the entryway of the alley.   
  
Now fully transformed, Callie finally understood the totality of Merklyn's  
gifts. Not just the animal totems, but so much more. All the spell-poems of the  
long forgotten world of Prysmos were her's to employ; strength, speed,  
knowledge, and wisdom. But, as the wizard had warned, the universal balance  
between good and evil affected her new powers as well.  
Decay..destruction...fear..and invulnerability. The dark side of her powers were  
there to command, but caution had to be paramount in their use. Knowing time  
was growing ever shorter, Lighthope reached into her mind and pulled the spell  
that would get her to Dark Kat the fastest. Letting the words form silently at first,  
she then spoke them out loud with grace and respect.  
  
"Sheathe these paws in the driving gale make swift these legs ore' land  
I sail!" Heading the spoken summons, a spectral presence erupted from within  
Lighthope. Shaped as a she-Kat, the avatar of speed was 'dressed' as an ancient  
messenger; her body of transparent blue was covered by a darker blue tunic as her  
hips and legs were covered in a matching pair of breeches. Swirling around her  
new mistress, the avatar blurred until Lighthope could not be seen amidst the  
winding whirlwind that had been created. Then, without warning, the funnel of air  
whisked towards the direction Dark Kat's ship had headed, leaving no sign of  
Lighthope at all.  
  
Mollie looked up and sniffled.   
  
"Mommy?"   
  
Rebecca kneeled down looking at her daughter softly..."What is it  
sweetie?"   
  
"Let's not tell daddy about this..okay?"   
  
Rebecca looked at her daughter in shock.   
  
"Mollie..that would be fibbing. And you never fibbed to Baloo before he  
became your daddy. " Rebecca sighed, the thought of her new husband finding out  
about the attack by the punk, let alone the remaining parts, was not something she  
felt ready to deal with. Overprotective was a fitting word for the gray and white  
tom-Kat she had so recently pledged to spend the rest of her life beside. He loved  
her and she him, although it took many years for each to finally realized what they  
had been denying. Now, Rebecca couldn't imagine not being next to him forever.   
  
"I know mommy! It's just..if we tell him then he'll be all mad that he wasn't  
here to protect us, and I don't want him to feel bad cause there's ain't nothing he  
coulda done anyway right?"   
  
Rebecca nodded, not for the first time shocked by the insight her young  
daughter possessed. Unable to decide what to do, Rebecca took a parents' refuge  
in the last means of escape..  
  
"We'll talk about it later sweetie, okay?"   
  
Picking up her daughter, Rebecca and Mollie Cunningham looked one final  
time at the sky and sent their thoughts and prayers to the one lone she-Kat that  
was willing to risk all in the name of justice. After a few moments they resumed  
their way towards the nearest shelter, oblivious to the fact that a unseen pair of  
eyes watched them depart the alley, having observed the entire transformation of  
Calico Briggs.   
  
As silence again claimed the alley, Dr. Abi Sinian leaned against the heavy  
delivery door as it closed, her mind working at a feverish place as it sought to  
catalog what she had just witnessed.   
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Move it people! Move..Move!" Steele shouted as his Enforcer Unit took  
up flanking positions around MegaKat Biochemical.   
  
Sirens wailed as about ten cars finally completed their maneuvers and soon  
had the building surrounded. All around him a mix of Enforcers pulled their  
sidearms and unhooked the safeties as each scanned the building for any sign of  
their prey.   
  
"I want this place secured 200 percent people! Nash, Bridges..clear all the  
adjacent buildings."   
  
"Yes, sir!" came the stiff replies as the Enforcers ran to a pair of apartment  
buildings and began evacuation.   
  
Steele pointed at two Enforcers and jerked his fingers toward his squad car  
and the two officers ran over and knelt down, listening intently while keeping one  
eye each on the building. Lowering his voice, Steele pointed to two building on the  
opposite side of the street from MegaKat Biochem.   
  
"Walker, Ranger, take up sniper positions. But don't fire until we see how  
many Kats he has in there. Use the new anti-mutagen darts unless you hear  
otherwise from me."   
  
The pair of sharpshooters nodded and using the available cover made their  
way to their respective buildings and disappeared inside.   
  
Waiting until they were out of sight, Steele motioned to a she-Kat who had  
just been handed a megaphone to come over. Looking a bit confused, the young  
Enforcer ducked between cars and made her way to her superior officer.   
  
"Sir?" she asked quietly.   
  
"I think I need this a bit more than you." he suggested as he took the  
megaphone from her paw. A slight blush rose in her cheeks.   
  
"Erm..yes Sir."   
  
Giving her a slight grin, Steele glanced over at the officers awaiting his  
next command. Each was tense, ready to spring to action. Steele closed his eyes  
and for a moment Feral's words echoed in his mind.   
  
**Good Kats are going to be out there risking their lives to protect  
MegaKat City. Every decision you make could lead to victory or defeat.**   
  
"No defeat..not now..not ever."   
  
"Sir..?" asked the startled young Kat beside him.   
  
"Nothing.." he said as he gave her a small smile of reassurance. Glancing  
around, he nodded at the other cars close to him, and they refocused their aim,  
causing a wave of realignment as each Enforcer steadied themselves as their leader  
made his demands to Viper. Standing slowly, David Steele said a quick prayer and  
raised the megaphone.   
  
"This is Commander David Steele of the Enforcers. Dr. Viper, you are  
surrounded. Come on with your paws up and you will not be harmed!"   
  
The words echoed as startled eyes looked at Steele with confusion as his  
recent promotion was unknown by most all of the Enforcers. Steele could almost  
feel the shock that seemed to fill the very air around him, but paid it no heed.  
There was a job to do and he had been elected to do it.   
  
Viper's answer came not in words, but rather as a deluge of toxic acid from  
several Venus flytrap-like plant mammals that had been lurking in the foliage  
around the entryway. The acid rained down on the Enforcers like liquid death,  
sizzling against the metal of the cars that only just shielded them from the deluge.  
Steele ducked back down behind his car as a wave of poison washed over his  
vehicle.   
  
'GET DOWN!' he shouted to the young Enforcer beside him and threw  
himself on top of her, the bottom part of the attack grazing his trench coat but  
doing little damage to his fur underneath. The acid splashed to the ground behind  
him between several cars and quietly ate through the pavement as several  
Enforcers stood in awe of the powerful fluid.   
  
Steele took a moment to make sure the Kats around him were uninjured.  
Unfortunately, several were clutching their paws and arms as droplets of acid had  
hit. MedTech's were already using their skills to stop any damage before it got too  
severe, but several of his officers were out of the fight; that much he could tell  
from his location. Paws bandaged with surgical gauze were not to be ignored. He  
could only hope and pray the other units were having better luck with the  
Metallikats and Hard Drive.   
  
**I hate this! We know Dark is slowly moving to MegaTron Labs, but we  
can't divert any troops with these losers breathing down our backs!**   
  
Resisting the frustration to punch his fist into the car door, Steele started to  
run through what little options he had when a voice broke into his planning.   
  
"Erm..sir ?I hate to sound ungrateful..but could you get off me? Your  
crushing my spleen."   
  
Steele blinked, then looked down at the young Enforcer whom he had  
protected. Her helmet had come loose as for the first time David could see the  
flame red shoulder length hair she possessed. Sparkling green eyes peered up from  
a very beautiful face as those same eyes contrasted with her soft tan fur. Almost  
immediately he moved his weight off, and the she-Kat breathed a sigh of relief. It  
was then he noticed her rank, or rather lack of it. Feeling a sinking feeling in his  
gut, he looked intently at the young woman before him.   
  
"What are you /doing/ here Cadet...?" he paused, her name tag having been  
lost in the attack.   
  
"Kaylar sir. Kassie Kaylar sir, and Goddess only knows why I'm here."   
  
Casting a wary look at MegaKat Biochem, David rested against his car and  
took a moment to focus his thoughts on this new information. He glanced over at  
Kassie. "Explain yourself Cadet." he said very softly but with a tone of urgency.   
  
Kassie 'K.K.' Kaylar blinked at the tone of voice, but her Enforcer training  
didn't allow her to be too outwardly scared.   
  
"We were taking a tour of Enforcer Headquarters sir when they sounded  
Code Magenta. All I know is a sergeant ran from the armory, handed us three  
energy rifles and told us to move towards the transports outside." She paused,  
nodding towards the armored personal carrier on a nearby side street. David  
nodded, letting her continue. "I had just got off sir when someone else handed me  
the megaphone. That when you saw me sir and ..well, you know the rest. "   
  
Steele sighed, wondering who gave a third year cadet an energy rifle. It  
was then he caught on to her use of 'us' in her explanation. That feeling in his gut  
got worse.   
  
"Who is 'us' cadet?"   
  
"My friends Sir. Cadet Jace Milkner and Cadet Tobias Jakeson. They were  
with me when the alarm sounded. It was only supposed to be a three hour tour so  
we didn't bring our own gear since we didn't think we would need it.. "   
  
"You mean I've got three third-year cadets in the middle of what could be  
the biggest fire fight MegaKat City has ever seen? " he asked the Goddess above,  
but she chose to forgo answering.   
  
Kassie frowned and looked at Steele.   
  
"With all due respect sir, I /am/ an Enforcer and since I'm here, let me  
help." she said with a certain firmness.   
  
Blinking at her forwardness, David nodded slightly.   
  
"I didn't mean to imply otherwise Cadet, but we are at a major tactical  
disadvantage here and I would rather not loose any more Enforcers to this  
madman if I can help it."   
  
Kassie nodded only slightly, but the look in her eyes spoke volumes.   
  
"I know that sir, and I understand. But I'm here and ready to help.  
Besides.." her voice softened and a small smile tugged at the corner of her  
mouth.."that bastard ruined my day off and my uniform. I want his tail in a ringer!"   
  
A few of the close by Enforcers heard that and laughed, as did Steele.   
  
**There's fire in this one, no doubt.** he mused. Nodding to himself, he  
glanced back at Kassie. "Very well cadet. Here.." he said, offering his backup  
weapon to her. "You ever use a level 5 blaster ?"   
  
Kassie blinked and shook her head..  
  
"Erm..no sir. Level 2 is the highest I've been trained on."   
  
"Suffice it to say this has more kick than a level 2."   
  
The younger Enforcer nodded and slipped the weapon into her uniform's  
belt. For a moment Steele could see a look of..disgust..on her face as she studied  
the weapon before storing it. He made a mental note to ask her about that later. A  
dark thought crossed unbidden through his mind.   
  
**If we have a later...** he mused, casting a glance at the creatures pacing  
the perimeter of Megakat Biochemical.   
  
With a minimum of movement, Kassie reached into her tunic and pulled out  
a pair of metal objects, too small to be seen by anyone but their owner. Quietly,  
she slipped them into a concealed wrist launcher and then joined the stakeout of  
MegaKat Biochem, looking for an opening in which to topple the unnatural  
creation that lay in wait inside.   
  
------------------------------------  
  
"The is the /last/ time I let you talk me into going to Enforcer HQ on my  
day off, Tobias!" Jace Milkner ducked as another blast of electricity barley missed  
turning him into crispy fried Kat.   
  
Holding his reply until his blaster fire lanced out, Tobias' blast struck the  
armored villain known as Mac Mange squarely in the chest and did..as usual of  
late..zero damage. A series of energy bolts forced the silver and black striped tom-  
Kat behind the protective barrier the charred ruins of their APC provided. Looking  
at his gray and white-striped friend he nodded barely.   
  
"Had I known this was to occur, Jace, I would have suggested another way  
to spend our off-duty time!" he yelled over to his friend, eliciting a look of regret  
from the first Kat.   
  
**Oh crud. He's in one of his moods again. Bad enough he's blaming  
himself for us getting separated from K.K., now he's going to take the blame for  
the entire situation.**   
  
Again Jace raised up and aimed at Mac, and once again the blaster fire  
bounced off the armored body and into a wall, causing a nice sized hole but little  
else.   
  
"Geeze..give it up you two! I'm getting bored!" Mange taunted from his  
own cover. Although his robotic form could handle much more firepower than  
these two could muster there was no reason to subject his body to it when the  
automated defensives of Pumadyne would tax both him and his wife Mollie to their  
limit. Still, he gave these wet-nosed kids credit for trying.   
  
**They got stones where it counts, that's fer sure.**   
  
Casting a glance at the sonic shield that surrounded Pumadyne, Mac  
nodded in satisfaction as it held against the strongest weapons the Enforcers had  
available. It was only by sheer luck that these too hotshots were able to slip under  
the force field before it formed less than 4 minutes ago as Molly had succeeded in  
activating it before the security system kicked in and locked them out. Glancing at  
his partner he shouted over the din of the fire fight.   
  
"Come on Mollie ..this is worse than dinner at yer Mom's! Will you hurry  
it up? These Enforcers wanna-be's are starting ta bug me!"   
  
A derisive snort was given in reply.   
  
"You never did like my mom, Mac!. Besides, /you/ try getting around this  
insulated control panel while getting shot at!" Molly sneered as the tech heads at  
Pumadyne had apparently gotten smarter and added a top of the line lockout  
program as well as insulated shielding that prevented Hard Drive from getting into  
the computer systems.   
  
"Will you two shut the hell up and crash the damn program!" came a third  
voice from behind the Metallikat Express.   
  
Mac looked over at Hard Drive and sneered as best his face plate would let  
him.   
  
"I told ya once that no one talks to Mol like that but me, ya computer nerd!  
And what's the matter Hard Drive? To chicken to fight back?!"   
  
"I'm NOT blaster proof, you idiot! If you think I'm getting my tail shot off,  
your warranty's expired! I can't do anything until you get that blasted insulating  
shield down!"   
  
Another twin volley of fire caused Mollie duck deeper behind cover as the  
Enforcers' aim was improving. Mac turned to the two young Enforcers and  
snarled.   
  
"Okay kids..party time is over!" and with that he leapt up and, setting his  
blaster to maximum, leveled a energy beam at the charred APC they hid behind.  
The remaining fuel in the tanks ignited and exploded, sending the fleeing tom-Kats  
cart wheeling head over heels.   
  
Jace tumbled into a brick wall and went limp on impact, the blow stunning  
him to the core as his borrowed weapon fell from numb fingers. Tobias slammed  
against the side of the shattered guard house and went to his knees dazed. For both  
Kats, the world spun out of control as the smell of charred rubber and burning  
gasoline filled the air.   
  
Dimly, Tobias was aware of heavy footsteps approaching him, crunching  
rubble with every step. Fighting the urge to black out, Tobias felt the soft topsoil  
of the flower circle that used to surrounded the guard house mold into his hand.  
  
**But how did you defeat such metal giants Sir T-Bone?!** asked the  
page in awe, his eyes wide with a mix of enchantment and a small bit of fear.   
  
**Actually, it was Sir Razor, Tobias. He dumped a bucket of sand on Mac  
and it gummed him up good! Went up like fireworks on the fourth of July!"** T-  
Bone laughed, music to the child's ears. Although he didn't understand the meaning  
of the reference, Tobias understood that it must have been a sight indeed. He  
giggled softly.   
  
**It sounds as if your MegaKat city is full of wonders Sir T-Bone! To have  
such excitement must make it a fun place to live.** Tobias paused, sensing a  
sudden change in the larger Kat's mood. Almost immediately, the youngster  
realized his mistake. Looking at the ground, he couldn't meet the larger Kat's look.  
**I am sorry Sir T-Bone. I did not mean to ...*   
  
A gentle caress of the kitten's cheek began to chase away the guilt that  
started to eat away at the young Kat. Tenderly, T-Bone's paw lifted the boy's chin  
until their gazes met.   
  
**It's okay Tobias. Me and Sir Razor will make it home. Besides, I like  
talking about MegaKat City with you. It's not like you're ever going to see it, so  
this way you can at least hear what it's like** Quietly T-Bone smiled at the kitten,  
glad to see a soft smile on the youngster's face. Still, he shivered internally at the  
sight of the black right eye the boy carried. A welt of anger began to form in his  
stomach and with a fierce shove he crammed the feeling into his gut and locked it  
away. /That/ situation was resolved; no need to relieve it now.   
  
Tobias looked at the orange and black-striped Knight and hugged him,  
feeling a need to have the Knight hold him for just a moment. He smiled happily as  
T-Bone's arms surrounded him as the two stayed that way for a long time.   
  
"Good try kids, but not good enough." Mac said as his blaster ended up  
inches from Tobias's face. Incredulously, a smile began to form at the corners of  
his mouth. The fact was not lost on the villain. "What's so funny punk?"   
  
His vision finally solidifying, Tobias cocked his head up further at his  
opponent.   
  
"You!" he shouted and with a firm toss a double handful of dirt and soil  
flew into Mac's face, the fine dirt grains getting into his eyepieces and the  
topsoil/mulch stuck to the outer coverings, causing his tracking systems to  
momentary glitch.   
  
"Arrrruugh..you miserable little...!" shouted Mac, his hands trying to claw  
the debris away from his eyes, the power surges in his optics looking quite painful.   
  
Using his remaining strength, Tobias flung himself against the distracted  
android and the pair fell into the muck that had been created by the battle. The  
breath knocked out of him, Tobias was slower to recover than Mac, who had been  
lucky enough to land on his back and was able to finally clear his vision. With a  
death-like grip, he hoisted Tobias by his neck. The cadet's air rapidity began to run  
out as a sick choking sound emerged from his lips.   
  
"Yer gonna pay for that you sorry excuse for an Enforcer..." Mac growled  
as he squeezed harder..and harder..and harder   
  
------------------------------------  
  
"No."   
  
"But Sir T-Bone, it is the only way to assure.."   
  
"I said 'NO'!" came the firm reply.   
  
Arkatta looked at T-Bone, her elderly face a mix of anger and confusion.  
Surely he understood why she had to wipe his memory now?   
  
"Sir T-Bone, you must! I told you what you had to hear, and with the  
proper spell I can wipe your memory until the time you need to recall this  
conversat..."   
  
Chance turned and glared at the older she-Kat, trying to keep his anger in  
check.   
  
"I said no. I am not going to be turned into some mental zombie just to  
protect your secrets. I will keep what you have told me to myself, but I won't let  
you or anyone use any of that magic mumbo-jumbo on my head!"   
  
Arkatta cast a wary eye at T-Bone.   
  
"You can assure me that you will never../never/ speak of this to Sir Razor,  
no matter how dire the situation?" she asked dubiously.   
  
"Can you assure me that this wacky spell of yours will turn off when it's  
supposed to so I can remember all this, and do what I'm supposed ta do??" Chance  
countered. Even with his limited experience with magic, he'd seen enough of the  
Pastmaster's spells go crazy for no apparent reason to realize that when it came to  
magic, there ain't no science to it. Least none he could see anyway.   
  
The elder sorceresses stood there, honestly amazed at the validity of his  
counter-argument. With a reluctant nod, she looked at the warrior before her.   
  
"I concede your point Sir T-Bone. I only meant to offer a way to ease the  
burden you now carry. As you know, I never wanted to tell you but your  
friendship with Sir Razor was a threat against the future progressing as it should."   
  
Chance sighed and sat down wearily.   
  
"I understand Arkatta, but now that I know what's got to happen I can't  
trust in anyone..or anything..but myself to make sure that everything goes like it's  
supposed to. You can understand that, right?"   
  
"I may not agree with your decision, but I do understand it. However, I do  
again caution against the strain you are putting on yourself. The struggle will be  
enormous Sir T-Bone. If you should change your mind..."   
  
"I won't ma'am .But if it means a damn thing, I see what you're trying to  
do, but it's just not going to work. Everything is on the line now. Not just me and  
Razor getting back to Megakat city, but /everything/. Razor's future, Callista's  
happiness. Their..daughter; Callie's future. It's all resting on my shoulders now. I  
can't..and I won't..let anything go wrong. I can only trust myself from now on to  
make sure this doesn't blow up in our faces.'   
  
Despite the slight feeling of unease at the totality of the knight's devotion  
to his friends, Arkatta decided..for now..to accept Sir T-Bone's choice. She, of  
course, possessed the power to /make/ him forget, but to do so would violate the  
few remaining ethical codes she had not broken already. With a slight smile she  
decided to close the matter to further pondering and looked at the door.   
  
"Perhaps it's time to put aside such weighty matters and let you enjoy the  
feast. Besides, your friend and the Queen might perhaps be wondering if you are  
okay at this point."   
  
Chance blinked, and realized after glancing at the shadows on the wall how  
long they had been talking.   
  
"That's not a bad idea Arkatta. But, you won't join us?"   
  
"No, as I said Sir T-Bone I need to depart for my home as there is much to  
do. Please, enjoy the feast and the company of your fellows. Even the Gods  
themselves know you have earned a short respite at least. Clear skies, Sir T-Bone.  
We shall meet again" and with that, Arkatta's cloak folded in upon itself and with  
only the slightest hint of air displacement she was gone, leaving the small parcel  
she had brought with her to MegaKat City.   
  
Walking over Chance picked it up, wincing slightly as his ribs still protested  
with great vigor. Surprised at the weight for such a small bag, Chance carefully  
looked inside only to see three stones, each half the size of his fist. One was red,  
the other blue and the last yellow. Shrugging slightly to himself, the Swat Kat  
resealed the bag and wrapped the string around his fingers, making a mental note  
to give it to Callista later on.   
  
Chance stared at the empty spot for a long moment, letting his memory file  
all new knowledge in a safe haven as he focused on finding a calm point amidst his  
inner turmoil. Closing his eyes, the mechanic and warrior took a deep breath and  
very slowly released it; his nerves beginning to settle as his heartbeat slowed to  
normal. As the moments passed, T-Bone reflected on all that had occurred of late.  
The loss to Dark Kat. Being pulled back to the past. Revelations of the future no  
Kat should know. Callie being Razor and Callista's daughter. So many of his hard-  
held truths were shattered like glass upon the floor. And beside those shattered  
truths were his broken dreams of a home and family with Calico Briggs. Even if he  
and Razor returned to the future, what might have been with Callie could no  
longer happen; what he knew now made that all to clear. She was..would be.. his  
best friends' daughter. A relationship beyond being friends was something he could  
never feel comfortable with. The best option now was be the guardian of their  
futures and make sure that..at the very least..his loved ones could have the  
happiness that was now denied him. But for that happiness to be assured, no price  
would be too high.   
  
A deep rumbling from his gut pulled Chance from the tides of memory  
back to the present, and the feast that lie in wait for him. Putting on his best face,  
the tom-Kat departed the room and strode towards the great dining hall as a  
mirthful tune filled the passageways of Megalith Castle with an upbeat spirit.   
  
Big. That was the only word to describe the beautiful room Chance found  
himself in. At least 75ft tall and who-knows-how-long the hall boasted colorful  
streamers and flags from every class in the city. Jugglers displayed their talents as  
jesters mimed and joked with the assorted knights and ladies as they each  
performed a routine specially prepared for this event. The tom had to catch himself  
at one point; a jester's costume looking remarkably like MadKat's almost sent him  
for his nonexistent Glovatrix. With a nod, the knight smiled at the jester and the  
latter continued on through the throng of people.   
  
Unlike other cites in the Dark Ages, Megalith City prided itself on the fact  
that internal strife between the classes was almost nonexistent. Oh, there were a  
few nobles that tried on occasion to over-tax the peasants, but a few choice words  
from Callista provoked a rapid change in policy. The Knights of the Round  
protected all, be they simple folk or nobles and were paid well. The lower class of  
the city was taxed the least (as what Callista called a 'fair and just' ruling) and were  
better off than some of their counterparts in other cities. There was free market in  
the courtyards of the castle, with their being a tax on weapons, but necessities such  
as food and clothing were not taxed unless they were of a more extravagant  
nature. A peasant could even move up in class if they so chose. There were several  
stories of simple folk finding buried treasures long forgotten and suddenly  
becoming nobles overnight. In reverse, several knights had retired either through  
age or injury and were treated with respect in their final years as they farmed or  
became servants in the better houses.   
  
All in all, Megalith was a just city with a fair and beloved ruler.  
Unfortunately, where the brightest lights shine, the deepest shadows can  
sometimes be found. As Chance Furlong would soon discover.   
  
------------------------------------  
  
Dodging abandoned cars and other debris, Felina swerved through the  
mostly deserted streets of MegaKat City trying to get to Enforcer Headquarters.  
With practiced ease, she took curves at over 60 mph as not even the most stubborn  
obstruction was going to stop her. Sami just held on for dear life.   
  
"F..Felina..I..I know were in a hurry, but next time please don't jump an  
open drawbridge!" the young officer half begged/demanded as the squad car  
screeched in protest at another tight turn.   
  
"Sorry Sami, but every second counts! We've been delayed too long as it is.  
We've /got/ to get in the air to stop Dark Kat, cause if we don't...DAMN! Hold on  
Sami!"   
  
Sami jerked her head from Felina to the windshield and froze in horror as a  
telephone pole collapsed to the ground not 250 ft in front of them, the power wires  
sparkling on the ground like discarded fireworks, but thousands of times more  
deadly. Jerking the emergency brake up and praying to the Goddess, Felina held  
the wheel with all her strength as the car turned sideways and skidded as such until  
it finally came to rest not 15 ft before the roadblock. However, the wires were still  
thrashing around, and the distance between them and the car was dimishing  
rapidly.   
  
"Felina..!"   
  
"I see it Sami! Hold on!" and with that Felina jerked the break down and  
gunned the engine. Nothing happened. Felina tried again, but the engine had been  
too abused in the past several minutes and promptly took a well deserved rest.  
Good for it, bad for the two she-Kats.   
  
"Run for it Sami!" and Felina threw open her door and bailed out with  
Sami in tow.   
  
Scant seconds later a power line connected with the frame of the car,  
causing the vehicle to spark and as the electricity mixed with the gas in the tank the  
final result was..explosive..to say the least. The car ignited into a fireball of epic  
proportions as the two she-Kats took refuge behind a dumpster as debris rained  
down on the street, joining the rest of the battered and broken landscape. Although  
losing a great deal of charge, the lines still danced as if alive , blocking most of the  
road and created a barricade that would be near suicidal to cross. Grungy from  
their dive for safety, the two she-Kats looked up at the remains of their car and  
sighed, slumping against the dumpster.   
  
"Just freaking wonderful." murmured Felina. "Even if we could hot wire  
one of these cars" Felina glanced around at the abandoned cars "we can't get to  
Enforcer HQ without going a good ten blocks down! But maybe..." Felina looked  
at Sami, blinking as hard as a possible upside to this dilemma exploded in her head.  
She couldn't get to the hanger with Sami beside her; this was /her/ call and if all  
went sour, Sami wasn't going to be dragged down as well. **If she could just get  
separated from her...** "Sami..we'll need to split up. One of us has got to get to  
HQ. Maybe between the two of us, we'll be able to get in the game!" and with that  
Felina stood, not wanting to lie to her best friend, but knew that there was no  
other way. Time was short and the clock wasn't going any slower.   
  
Sami studied Felina and although nodding automatically, she knew beyond  
a shadow of doubt what her friend was attempting. The most direct way to  
Enforcer HQ was blocked, but it might be possible to get to the salvage yard in a  
matter of minutes. The younger Enforcer studied Felina and could feel that this  
was tearing her former roommate apart.   
  
**She's trying to take all the risks herself, and leave me out of the loop..I  
just /know/ it!** Sami sighed and looked at Felina, realizing that there only one  
option that could work at this point. If it didn't, she would wind up either denying  
the truth and possibly lose Felina in battle, or admit the truth and lose Felina's trust  
and friendship forever. **No real choice, is there Sami?**   
  
"You don't have to try to shield me from the truth Felina. I know what  
you're trying to do."   
  
Felina blinked as Sami's statement sent chills down her spine.   
  
"I..I'm trying to get us to.." but Felina saw the look in her friend's eyes and  
fell silent, realizing on some level that her ruse had just been blown to shreds.   
  
"I know what your trying Felina; get me to safety and yourself to the  
salvage yard so you can use the Swat Kats technology against Dark Kat, even if it  
costs your life to stop him."   
  
There has been very few times that Felina Feral was too stunned to say  
anything. Needless to say, this event was quickly added to that relatively short list.   
  
"Sami..how..did you..?" she managed to get out after a few moments of  
shock.   
  
Denying her knowledge would only worsen the situation.   
  
"I didn't mean to listen..at first. But..after I heard you tell Calico you lied to  
your uncle...." her voice trailed off, twinged with guilt.   
  
"You..listened..to me talking to Callie?" countered Felina. Surprise at being  
found out quickly gave way to shock that Sami would do something like /that/.   
  
"I only went by the room to check on you Felina. You seemed so upset at  
Callie's condition.."   
  
"Anyone would at a time like that!" countered Felina.   
  
"I..I know. But you seemed like you had a personal interest, almost as if  
you were blaming yourself for the attack. But..it was more than that, wasn't it?"  
Sami didn't wait for a response; both knew the answer. " Until I heard you talking,  
I couldn't piece why you were so concerned. The attack never happened. It was  
you and Callie that fought and discovered who the Swat Kats really were. And the  
fact that I remember you mentioning with some contempt about the two hotshots  
that were thrown off the force, yet you were there at their place when the attack  
happened. The pieces didn't make sense Felina, and I was scared that  
you..might..be in some sort of trouble that I just didn't see. I couldn't turn away  
Felina; no one could when their best friend in all the world was hurting like you  
were."   
  
Felina felt the rage at being spied upon lessen as she realized that, if the  
roles were reversed, would she have been able to turn away so easily upon hearing  
such a confession? If Sami was thought to be in trouble, wouldn't it be worth  
denying a few ethics to help her resolve the situation?   
  
"You have every right to be angry with me Felina. I interfered where I  
wasn't asked to help, and I learned things I had no right to be a part of. But..I  
couldn't stand by then and watch you get torn apart and I won't stand by now as  
you try to take on Dark Kat yourself just to protect me. Afterwards, if you tell me  
to stay out of your life, I will Felina. But at least you'll have a life to lead.  
Please..don't shut me out on this. Let me help one more time. I..I love you..like a  
sister..and I don't want to loose you. But I will not be treated like a child, Felina. I  
knew the risks when I signed up to be an Enforcer, and I'll be damned if anyone  
other than myself will say what is or is not safe for me to do. Enforcer or  
vigilantes, it makes no difference; Megakat City is our home, she's under attack,  
and it's up to us to kick Dark Kat's ass all the way back to the pit he crawled  
from..together."   
  
Felina Feral just stood there, transfixed by the display of passion in her  
friends' demeanor. Rarely had Sami been so vocal in her convictions. Sure..there  
were times in the past they had been on opposing sides, and Felina had learned  
early on not to judge Sami by just outward appearances. But this..fire..was  
something new to Felina, and she honestly didn't know how to deal with it..   
  
**Doesn't really make a difference, does it Felina? She's your friend, and  
she knows about Jake and Chance. Besides, which is worse; her to live and hate  
me until her final days, or have her beside me facing what could be our final  
fight?**   
  
Silence passed through the street as the two she-Kats looked at each other,  
both praying that the other would understand how important this was. Then, after  
a few more eternal moments, Felina held out her paw, smiling.   
  
"Let kick some tail."   
  
With lighting speed Felina and Sami searched the surrounding cars, finally  
finding an old truck that was in good enough shape to use for transportation.  
Jumping in, Felina quickly hot-wired the system and the two were off in a mad  
rush to reach the salvage yard in time.   
  
"Oh Goddess.." murmured Sami.   
  
"What's wrong?"   
  
"I just thought..if the Turbokat's at the bottom of Megakat Bay, then  
how...?"   
  
"Don't worry about that Sami. If my hunch checks out, we'll beat Dark Kat  
yet."   
  
Sami just nodded, not liking the intensity of hatred that still crept into  
Felina's voice from moment to moment. But there was nothing she could do; they  
both were committed to this plan, no matter the cost. With all the speed the old  
truck could muster the two she-Kats sped towards the salvage yard, and their  
destiny.   
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Hold it Shaun..look over there!" shouted Kirk.   
  
Shaun O'Kattery glanced towards the direction indicated by his new junior  
partner Kirk Connery. Blinking hard, he slammed on the brakes as the Enforcer  
cruiser came to a halt.   
  
"Shaun..please tell me that's not.." began the young black tom-Kat, his  
breathing becoming ragged as he saw the charred remains of what looked like..   
  
"Aye son, 'tis an Enforcer patrol car. Let's go see if any o' the lads need  
help.." the elder tom slowly got out, drawing his weapon as Kirk mirrored his  
partner's motions perfectly. Although he would never admit it, the gray tom-Kat  
watched his younger partner with pride. Although only having known him for three  
hours at best, the younger Enforcer moved with a fluidity that Shaun found  
promising. Although dubious at first at being reactivated by Code Magenta, the  
elder Enforcer was glad to be back in action so long after his retirement.   
  
**'Tis a dark day when they reactivate such Kats as I.** thought Shaun  
when he was called originally to Enforcer HQ upon receiving the summons. Sure  
he had many years left, but he was beyond fooling himself into thinking he had the  
reflexes of his youth. Still, Code Magenta was not just about pulling old Kats out  
of retirement, but to tap into the experiences they all possessed in a time of crisis.  
The chaos at Pumadyne and MegaKat Biochem were textbook examples of why  
Magenta had been created; with all active Enforcers occupied, the city was left  
vulnerable to other criminals. Pairing retired Enforcers with the newest from the  
academy blended experience and reflex into one working unit to protect Megakat  
City until the crisis had passed.   
  
"Shaun..? You with me pops?" Kirk teased his gray-furred elder.   
  
"Aye lad, I am. And you'd be not calling me 'pops' again unless you want  
this old gent ta take you down crying for yer mommy.." teased Shaun back. "Come  
on son..let's see what's what here."   
  
Taking a few cautious steps forward, the pair sidestepped the debris until  
they could go no closer to the wreckage due to the power lines. Stopping, Kirk  
bent over and sifted through a pile of debris as Shaun covered him.   
  
"What did you find, lad?" he asked when Kirk pulled out a field kit.   
  
"Oh man..this is..." sputtered the young Kat.   
  
"Goddess" murmured Shaun as he peered at the scorched bag. Not much  
was left as the explosion had claimed most of the contents of the car. However, the  
nameplate stitched into the fabric was scorched but still readable. "Come on  
lad..keep it together okay? Now..can ye read the nameplate? Me eyes can't from  
here.." Shaun said as calm as possible to reassure the young Enforcer.   
  
"It's hard..to make out..but it looks.like..someone named..Finnis?  
No...wait." Using a bit of spit, the Enforcer cleaned up the nameplate a little and  
tried again. "No..it's F....F.r..a...l" .He said, looking up at Shaun, whose eyes had  
just widened in shock.   
  
"Saints of Life preserve us" murmured the elder tom. Leaning over he  
snatched the bag from his partner and peered at the nameplate himself. Paling,  
Shaun walked over to their cruiser and snatched up the radio. "This is Enforcer  
Cruiser 54 calling in. Dispatch, for t'love above, can ye hear me?" pleaded Shaun.   
  
"Irish??" came the shocked reply. Mabel Jones was another Enforcer  
retiree called back into service, though the last voice she ever expected to hear was  
that of Shaun 'Irish' O'Kattery coming from her microphone. With most of the new  
dispatchers serving in field communications units, Mabel and other former  
dispatchers were handling calls at Enforcer Headquarters.   
  
"Mabel..for the love of ..'tis you!" came the shocked reply.   
  
"You better believe it Irish. If you think I'm going to sit home while you  
and the others get back into action yer kilt's on too tight!"   
  
"Ah..same old Mabel. Listen love, please connect me to Commander Feral.  
'Tis of the utmost importance!"   
  
"Can't do that Irish. Turns out that Steel's now Enforcer Commander. And  
from what I've been hearing, Commander Feral is at MegaTron Labs and isn't  
supposed to be reached by anyone other than him. "   
  
"Steele!?" exclaimed Shaun. Shaking his head, he put that info on back  
burner to deal with later as he clutched the mike again. "Mabel, ye got to connect  
me to Feral. Me and Kirk found a charred Enforcer cruiser and we think it was Lt.  
Felina's!"   
  
Silence filled the channel for a moment as Mabel sat there in shock.  
Although still dazed by the news and it's possible meaning, she began to switch  
frequencies to connect the former Commander's radio to Shaun's frequency.   
  
"You don't think.?" began Mabel.   
  
"I wish I knew. But I gotta tell the Commander. He's got t'know."   
  
"Anything I can do, Irish?"   
  
"Just connect me Mabel, and say a prayer for the lass."   
  
Nodding, Mabel did just that, finishing up the link and with a deep breath  
she closed her eyes and began to pray.   
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Comma....Mayor Feral!" came a voice over the din of the weapons bay as  
the sound of defenses being readied echoed throughout the compound. Jerking his  
neck around, Ulysses found the source of the call and glared at the approaching  
technician.   
  
"I gave strict instructions that I wasn't to be disturbed..!"   
  
Pulling up short, the young tom-Kat nervously nodded.."I..I k..know sir,  
but there's an emergency call for you. It's on an Enforcer frequency, but we had to  
reroute it through our systems since the signal couldn't penetrate the bunker. It's  
from a Sergeant O'Kattery."   
  
Blinking, Feral climbed out of the Exo-Suit in mid-prep, much to the  
disconcern of the techs assembling the armored form. Striding over to a wall-  
mounted comm unit, Feral slammed his fist onto the small white button engaging  
the link as the small white 'circuit open' light popped on.   
  
"Feral here." he growled.   
  
"Commander Feral" came the reply.."Sorry ta be bothering you sir, but we  
found something you need t'be aware of."   
  
"Go ahead O'Kattery" replied Feral, smiling slightly. As a cadet, Ulysses  
Feral had been paired with then Ensign O'Kattery as a tagalong for his first few  
weeks of field training. Admittedly, Feral's total no-nonsense approach to being an  
Enforcer was a stark contrast to Shaun's more relaxed approach. Both were highly  
dedicated, but arriving at the same goal from totally different perspectives. Over  
time, the two had learned to accept the others' viewpoint and became a solid team  
that to this day held the highest arrest percentages of any cadet/sponsor grouping.  
Although Shaun had retired not long after Ulysses had become a Lieutenant, they  
saw each other at a few Enforcer events and the rare meeting at the shooting range  
out in Megakat Springs.   
  
"I hate t'be the bearer of t'news sir, but we found Lt. Feral's car out here  
close to Highway 29, close to the corner of Noble and Barns She's pretty charred  
up sir. Not much left ta look at."   
  
Feral froze as Shaun's words began to sink in. Reigning in his motions,  
Ulysses waited for more information before he would start to worry.   
  
"What happened? Is there any sign of Felina?" he asked, trying to keep the  
worry from slipping into his voice.   
  
"Nae sir. No sign of the lass. Looks like some power lines came inta  
contact with the car and ignited the gas tank. We found her emergency kit, but  
there's no sign of the Lieutenant herself." Shaun paused, letting the commander  
have a few precious moments to steady himself. He had known Feral too long,  
seen too much with him to doubt his ability to keep focused on the emergency that  
MegaKat City found itself engulfed within. Still, to give the man a few seconds of  
quiet could do no harm.   
  
"Sergeant, I want you to do a G2 alpha pattern to find Felina. Duration of  
15 minutes maximum."   
  
Static filled the air as Shaun looked at Kirk with a shocked look.   
  
"Begging your pardon Sir, but could ye repeat that last order? I dinna think  
I heard it correctly."   
  
Feral knew all too well that Shaun had heard him, but admitted the order  
was a major surprise to the elder Enforcer.   
  
*I know how you feel Shaun, but with those scum out there, we can't  
afford to look for one Enforcer too long, no matter who that Enforcer might be.*   
  
Pausing only momentarily, Feral sighed softly and repeated.."You heard  
me, Sergeant. I want a 15 minute duration search. G2 alpha pattern."   
  
You could almost hear the protest in Shaun's voice, but both Kats knew  
that Feral was right. If they spent too much time looking for Felina, there's no  
telling what damage could be done by the criminal element running amuck in the  
city now.   
  
"Aye sir, order understood. O'Kattery ou....."   
  
"Shaun..?" Feral interrupted softly, as if to keep anyone other than his old  
partner from hearing.   
  
"Sir?" came the slightly confused reply.   
  
"When you find her, tell her I love her and I always will."   
  
Shaun shivered, as if someone just walked over his grave. He didn't like the  
tone of that request, not at all. But, even if he was a retired Enforcer, as of right  
now he was on active duty, and Feral was still his commander.   
  
"Understood sir."   
  
Without another word, Feral closed the link and closed his eyes for but a  
moment, pushing all the mixed feelings down into his gut. There would be time for  
mourning later, if it was necessary. For now, there were tens of thousands of Kats  
depending on him and what he did in the hour ahead. Walking back towards the  
center of the weapons bay deep under MegaTron Labs, Feral's bare feet fairly  
much ignored the cold, smooth tile underneath. As he walked back towards the  
frustrated technicians, he paused, looking again with a bit of wonderment at the  
weapon before him.   
  
Standing nearly 8ft tall, the EXO-Kat, or Exoskeletal Kombat Assisted  
Transport was the most powerful weapon in the Enforcer arsenal. It was also the  
most dangerous, and with good reason. Originally designed as a mining tool, the  
EXO-Kat was modified to be an anti-personal armor to be worn by Enforcers in  
emergency situations. However, it was proven that the reaction time of an  
Enforcer had to be greater than that of a miner, so the suit was unable to respond  
fast enough to be of any practical purpose other than perhaps crowd control.   
  
It wasn't until nearly a year later that a two scientists, one at Pumadyne and  
one at MegaTron, discovered they both were working on organic/mechanical  
interface theory. Instead of falling into the traditional industrial war to reach  
market first with their idea, the two scientists worked together. MegaTron Labs  
had a working prototype of the interface assembly, but not the resources to fund a  
high grade weapons platform to update the suit. Pumadyne conversely had the  
money and expertise for the upgrade, but their own interface systems were months  
away from being test ready. Pooling their resources, the two industrial giants  
created the gleaming titanium frame Ulysses Feral found himself standing before.   
  
"Mayor..?" Jerking out of his reprieve, Feral looked over at the technician.   
  
"Yes. .yes, I know.." he grumbled and climbed back into the suit as the two  
Kats began to reassemble the modular frame. The EXO-Kat had no real 'face' other  
than a clear thermoplastic shield that allowed the operator to see outside with a  
high degree of safety. There was a marginal neck that provided a degree of  
peripheral vision, but it was the on board sensor suite and HUD that provided the  
most detailed information to the Kat inside. The arms were armor plated, each  
ending in a mechanical paw that included a repulsor blaster in each palm as well as  
machine guns in the forearms and magnesium flare launchers birthed within  
shoulder-mounted housings. The torso was the same flat steel gray color with the  
only exception being the Enforcer insignia emblazoned in the center. Behind the  
insignia was a force shield emitter that allowed a 5 second burst of an  
electromagnetic bubble that repelled most artillery or energy based weapons.  
Unfortunately, the shield used a great deal of power and repeated use would drain  
the solar cells faster than they could recharge as the built-in capacitors weren't  
strong enough to power it and the life support systems simultaneously The upper  
part of the legs located above the knee were open, allowing the operator to  
activate the leg-based functions, such as the built-in jet boosters and the Durajump  
compressed air landing system. The feet had Magneto-Lock control systems,  
providing stability on most ferrous surfaces.   
  
But, despite the power the EXO-Kat possessed, its designation of Project  
Doomsday was by no means a misnomer. The interlink ( now called the  
Marsh/Marsalla BioLink in honor of its creators) represented a double-edged  
sword; by patching into the nervous system of the Kat inside, the reaction time of  
the suit was increased by an incredible amount. This gave the Enforcer reaction  
times necessary to use the armor effectively in battle, but the cost of the increased  
reaction time could well be the life of the pilot. Working both ways, the link  
converted damage received on the suit into pain impulses to the nervous system of  
the Enforcer inside. Too much damage and the Kat's nervous system could very  
well collapse, leaving the pilot a living mind trapped within a useless shell. Truly, it  
would have to be Doomsday for such a risky venture to be seen as a solution.   
  
Ulysses Feral wished he could speed up the assembly process, but each  
piece had to be properly assembled or the systems would not work in unison, if at  
all. But, despite the danger being assembled around him, more pressing..and  
personal..thoughts began to invade his mind.   
**Where are you Felina? What happened to put you so far out of the way  
back to Enforcer Headquarters? A call for help? Roadblock? Some punk with a  
blaster? Are you alive? Dead?** Resisting the urge to slam his fist into a nearby  
control panel Feral sought to control the worry he felt building in his gut. **That  
won't do any good. Felina's tough and resourceful. And that's just by herself.  
Higgins promised she'd look out for Felina, and I know she's as good as her word.  
Wherever they are, they're together.**  
  
"Commander Feral!" echoed a new voice in the weapons bay. The voice  
sounded as if it belonged to an older Kat, but the authority the voice carried was  
beyond reproach.   
  
Turning around, Ulysses blinked as Professor Hackle walked across the  
room, slow in speed but urgent in meaning.   
  
**Oh, Krud..** the former Enforcer thought, knowing full well what was  
coming.   
  
"Again Commander, I must protest the use of the EXO-Kat! It is much to  
dangerous for you or /anyone/ to use." For emphasis, the former Pumadyne  
inventor poked the insignia with the tip of his cane. "Pumadyne may have used my  
original schematics to reinvent the systems, but they are fools to think that the suit  
is perfect! The risk is.."   
  
"Totally acceptable Professor." interrupted Feral. "Our best guess is that  
Dark Kat's ship will be here in less than 30 minutes. My...The Enforcers are  
occupied with a pitched battle with some of the worse scum this city has ever had  
the misfortune to know. The only viable option is to use the EXO-Kat to stop  
Dark Kat once and for all."   
  
Hackle looked up and saw that look of determination he knew so well from  
his prior experiences with the Enforcer Commander. Sighing, he looked down at  
the two technicians and gasped in shocked realization.   
  
"You ..you..go..just go!"   
  
Blinking, the two that had been assembling the suit looked up as if the elder  
Kat had just started speaking in some foreign language. But the business end of his  
cane conveyed the message a lot more effectively as the inventor slowly knelt  
down and started to pull wires out at a feverish pace, an action not lost on Feral.   
  
"Kats alive, what are you doing??"   
  
"If you persist in this foolhardy endeavor, Commander, then perhaps you  
would be more inclined to /not/ blow up upon activating the suits' systems? Those  
fools..they have no grasp of the obvious..!" and with that the professor began to  
drift off into his own little world of advanced algorithms and fragmented particle  
decay as he worked to undo the damage that had almost been done.   
  
Feral watched with a bit of surprise on his face as at the lightning pace at  
which Hackle had totally rewired the main input/relay console that had taken the  
former technicians nearly three times as long to setup. Looking over at the two  
techs that Hackle had shoved aside, Feral glared at them.   
  
"You and you..help the professor get this thing ready." Seeing them ready  
to protest the large Kat narrowed his eyes and simply said..'Now." .   
  
The look in Feral's eyes was more than enough to motivate them as the two  
technicians knelt down and began to finish assembling the EXO-Kat under  
Hackle's direction. Glancing at the clock, Ulysses saw that they had less than 25  
minutes to assemble the suit and get airborne. It would be close. Very close.   
  
------------------------------------  
  
"So close my Creeplings..so close to the total destruction of the Enforcers,  
my so-called 'allies' and the total subjugation of MegaKat City!"   
  
Chattering in agreement with their dark lord, the Creeplings worked  
feverishly to keep the great airship stable. Constantly rerouting power from  
secondary systems was difficult at best, but a necessary task as Dark Kat loomed  
over their shoulders watching every move.   
  
Dark Kat knew this was a risky gambit, but he had to play the cards fate  
had dealt him. His sources had reported that Feral had been named mayor and that  
the coward known as Steele had been put in charge of the Enforcers. Despite the  
fact that his airship was by no means battle ready, the opportunity was too great to  
pass up. With a green commander, the Enforcers would be disorganized and easy  
picking for his 'allies' to defeat. Besides, with the Swat Kats gone, there were no  
wild cards left in the deck for Feral to play. Dark Kat actually smiled slightly as he  
congratulated himself on fooling his 'allies' into thinking he was after the antimatter  
just to power a mere bomb.   
  
**Their stupidity has served me well. And when I have drained MegaKat  
City of all it's resources, my one true plan can finally begin!* *  
  
Turning to address his servants, the Dark Lord bellowed..."Soon, the  
antimatter generator will be mine, and with it and the force shield emitter I will  
enclose MegaKat City in a bubble and then, my Creeplings, I, Dark Kat, will reign  
unchallenged! I will rebuild MegaKat City into a fortress of evil and soon, the  
world shall be my mine to do with as I please! All available speed to MegaTron  
Labs! Victory awaits my grasp!"   
  
Accelerating slightly, the great airship turned to port as Dark Kat's laughter  
filled the sky.   
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Put him down Mange now, or so help me I'll..."   
  
Turning around, Mac blinked as somehow the other Enforcer had regained  
enough of his senses to actually stand up again. Even more surprising was the kid  
had the balls be aiming at him with his recovered blaster. Still squeezing Tobias's  
neck, Mac laughed.   
  
"Or you'll do what, punk? Shoot me? Oh, that'd be just too bad cause if  
you do, I pop your buddy's neck like a pimple! There's nothing you can do kid!  
You've lost." And, for good measure, he squeezed Tobias's neck again, causing  
Tobias to black out completely. Falling limp in Mac's arms, the Enforcer silently  
awaited the end.   
  
"Hurry up Mac and quit goofing off! I'm almost through here and yer  
dragging tail like usual!" barked Mollie from the entryway of Pumadyne's main  
entrance.   
  
"Shut up Mollie! I don't tell you how ta have your fun!" sneered Mac back.   
  
**That's it!** thought Jace. Laughing on the outside, Jace tried to keep as  
calm as possible as Tobias's limp figure swayed in Mac's grasp. Steadying himself,  
he sneered at Mac.   
  
"Oh man..you are so whipped!"   
  
Mac blinked, caught off guard by the comment. "I mean..I've seen some  
poor excuses for a tom, but you're the worst example I've ever come across. Does  
she tell you when to go to bed too??"   
  
Growling, Mac fumed.   
  
"Shut up kid, or you'll be laughing out your tail!"   
  
"By the likes of you?? Don't make me laugh, Mange. You're so whipped  
you don't have the stones to come over here and fight me like a Kat. You gotta hid  
behind that huge blaster and hey ...maybe your compensating for something by  
using that thing. Ever considered that?"  
  
Enraged, Mac tossed Tobias to the ground, the latter winding face up in a  
puddle of mud. Tossing his blaster to the side, Mange slammed a metal fist into the  
opposite paw.   
  
"Okay kid..that's it! You're roadkill!"   
  
**All right, Tobias is outta the way..now what?!** Jace asked himself as  
even though his friend was safe for the moment, his own future looked very /very/  
short.   
  
"I hope you've said your peace, kid, cause I'm the last living thing your ever  
going ta see!" Jace blinked, not at the danger of the situation, but at the  
idea that exploded into his mind.   
  
**It's got to work..there's no other way..**  
  
Advancing on Jace, Mac's eyes began to glow a deep red as he drew closer  
with each passing moment.   
  
"You can't run, kid..and there's nowhere to hide. You're mine!"   
  
"You're all talk, Mange. You're a whipped piece of techno-junk who is as  
competent as a blender. No..wait...that's an insult to blenders everywhere. You're  
a low grade, high maintenance piece of crap whose as smart as a rock! You're  
yesterdays' model Mange, ready for the salvage yard."   
  
Mac screamed as he lunged for the Enforcer, enraged. Cold metallic hands  
grasped for Jace's neck, but the Enforcer dodged a split second before the killing  
blow could be inflicted and rolled off to one side. Ending up several feet away  
from the momentarily confused villain, Jace used the much-needed time to bring  
his blaster into a firing position, maxing out the power level as the laser sight  
landed dead center on Mac's forehead.   
  
"At this range, even a low powered shot will put a real crimp in your day,  
Mange, and I just went to full power. Put your hands up..you and Mollie are under  
arrest." There was no wavering of voice, no hint of nervousness in Jace's tone; just  
a simple desire to end this without anyone else dying.   
  
Mac looked at the Enforcer with a bemused expression, then frowned as  
best his face plate would allow.   
  
"The way I see it, kid, you got it all wrong. You can't hurt me. You can't  
stop me. I've stood up to the Swat Kats' best shots and I'm still here and they're  
pushing up daisies. And in a few bits Mol's gonna be in the security system and  
then we're gonna rule this town, and not you or all the Enforcers combined are  
gonna stand up to the Metallikats!" and with that Mac swung hard, attempting to  
catch Jace off guard with a devastating right cross.   
  
Jace may have been a green Enforcer, but he wasn't stupid. Feinting  
backwards, the young Enforcer felt the breeze of the swing tickle his whiskers.  
Shifting his aim right by inches Jace fired, praying to the Goddess that he would be  
forgiven for what he had to do. The discharge lanced out, striking dead center in  
Mac's left eye, shattering the optic as it passed through several layers of scanners  
and image inducers until microseconds later the blast exited in back of the villain's  
head, a sickening 'boom' filling the air.   
  
At first, Mollie thought that the Enforcers had cracked the force shield  
surrounding the complex. Jerking her neck around, the villainess found something  
much worse than she could have even imagined. She gasped in horror as Mac fell,  
smoke pouring out from the gaping hole in the back of her husband's head.  
Then..nothing.   
  
"Maaaac!!" screamed Mollie as she raised her blaster and fired, the blast  
striking Jace dead center of his Katvar vest and watched as he impacted against the  
remains of a tree. As Jace fell, Mollie leaped over the Metallikat Express and  
darted towards to her fallen love.   
  
"Mac..Mac !Come on you good..this ain't..ain't no time to be lying down  
on the job..." Mollie begged as she pulled up beside her husband. Kneeling down,  
she gently raised what was left of his head in her arms. "Come on Mac..talk to me  
you bucket of ..."   
  
"M..Mol....?"   
  
"Mac! You're alive!"   
  
"Not..f..or...l..ng Mol. Systems..cras..ing."   
  
"Don't die on me Mac!"   
  
"Lik..I c..can..help it..Mol." wheezed the dying Mac, the barest hint of  
amusement in his voice.   
  
"Com..come on Mac. I need you. For better or worse, remember!"   
  
"I..I'v..h..d. .worse Mol. You..your..me..loaf..sucks." he tried to laugh, but  
only a sickening cough came out.   
  
Mollie tried to smile, but she couldn't .This couldn't be happening. In all  
their fights.all the battles..they didn't die. They /couldn't/ die. Even with Dark Kat  
had destroyed that warehouse with them and Viper inside, they survived. The  
survived Hackle's reprogramming attempts, and even the Swat Kats precious  
secret identities had been learned by them. But..the Swat Kats never died before;  
now they were gone.   
  
**If the heroes can kick the bucket, what chance do the villains have??**  
she asked herself.   
  
"M..Mol...?" Yanked from her thoughts, Mollie looked at her husband and  
took his hand in hers. "I..k..ow that..I..ne..er said  
this..e..ough..but..I..l..love...y..y..oooou......" Mac tried to say even as his final  
backup failed and his last few ergs of energy drained away. Slowly, his optics  
faded until they were black and still.   
  
"Oh..Mac.." whispered Mollie and she clutched her husband to her chest  
tightly as if she could bond his soul to his metal body by sheer force of will. But be  
they metal or fur, all Kats must succumb to the forces of life and death. And Mac  
Mange, scourge of the Underworld and perhaps one of the most dangerous forces  
ever to face the Swat Kats, quietly left this mortal coil and his beloved wife behind  
to face his final judgment.   
  
Hard Drive looked on in shock as Mollie clutched Mac's now-lifeless body.  
Even though he despised the thug, he never wanted the guy to die. Maybe get  
banged up by the Enforcers some in payment for him threatening remarks at the  
mountain H.Q. But..nothing like this. Blinking, Hard Drive watched shocked as  
Mollie set her husband's body down and stood. With each step deliberate and  
planned, Mollie walked over to Jace's unconscious form and without a shred of  
gentleness, she one-handed picked up the tom and shoved his body against the tree  
so hard, the young Kat's helmet fully came off, revealing Jace's face. At first, Hard  
Drive would not believe his eyes. What he saw..it was not possible. A lifetime of  
sacrifice and regret made what he saw null and void. But..deep in the villain, he  
knew that his greatest fear was now upon him.   
  
**Dammit..they promised. They swore they would never...!!** he raged  
silently until a glint of sunlight off metal caught his attention. His blood froze as he  
saw Mollie's sickle weapon-arm rise to the sky. Knowing what she was planning,  
Hard Drive dashed over the hood of the MetalliKat express and pushed himself  
physically to the limit to reach her in time before   
  
"You miserable bastard!" she spat at Jace with all the venom she could  
muster even as tears of oil streamed down her face. "I hope you rot in Hell, you  
son of a bitch!" and with that, Mollie pulled her weapon back to decapitate the  
young Enforcer.   
  
Just before the blow could land, Hard Drive pulled the sickle back from it's  
fatal trajectory.   
  
"Mollie..we don't have time for this!" he yelled, looking over at a sizable  
contingent of Enforcers who were pooling their weapons and apparently setting  
them on overload to blow a hole in the shield. "Those Enforcers could be though  
any second! If we don't get out of here now, we're all going to be de...!"   
  
Looking over, Mollie's eyes glowed as if fueled by the Devil himself,  
stunning Hard Drive with their intensity.   
  
"You miserable coward! How /dare/ you tell me what to do! If you hadn't  
been so concerned with protecting your balls and not covering Mac, then maybe  
he'd still be alive now!" she screamed, her voice full of rage and pain.   
  
":Listen Mollie..please! I never wanted Mac to die, but I had no weapons  
and those two Enforcers were getting a hell of a lot closer on their aim. I'm sorry  
Mac's dead..I know how much you and he meant to each other, but this isn't the  
way to get revenge!" Hard Drive paused, not seeing any other way to get out of  
this with his secret intact. He didn't like where he had to go, but there was no other  
way.."You kill that kid now, you'll have every Enforcer in the city after you for  
cold blooded murder. Do you think you can take on the entire Enforcer garrison  
stationed here in Megakat City? Bide you time, wait for the best moment to get  
your revenge; hell, if nothing else let him wait for it and suffer! But please..for both  
our sakes..don't /do/ this."   
  
Mollie's rage started to ebb as Hard Drive's words started to make sense.  
She wanted the punk so dead; crushed into a lifeless ball in a trash compactor or  
even thrown into a burning incinerator. But..there was no time..not now. She  
couldn't get her revenge if she was off-line. Slowly, her sickle arm lowered and she  
kneeled over the still unconscious Enforcer.   
  
"You just got lucky kid. You get to live one more day. But when you least  
expect, kiss your miserable life good-bye!" and with that she backhanded Jace,  
letting the red whelp form as she stood and walked off to take her husband home.   
  
For tense seconds Hard Drive looked at Mollie as she loaded Mac's body  
into the back of the Metallikat Express. Then, a bittersweet sigh of relief escaped  
his lips as the immediate danger to Jace passed. Glancing over, he saw the  
Enforcers outside the shield begin to run for cover. Knowing he only had seconds  
left to say his peace, Hard Drive returned his full attention to young man before  
him.   
  
"I'm sorry kiddo. I never wanted to get you involved in this mess. I...I don't  
know why Leo and Florida broke their promise to me, but I'm damn sure gonna  
find out...!" he growled softly, still more than upset that the agreement he gave an  
entire life up for was now shattered beyond re-creation. Gently brushing some  
stray fur from Jace's eyes, Jacob Kittery smiled softly, and in a moment of paternal  
concern, kissed his son tenderly on the forehead.  
  
BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM! The shattered force shield  
collapsed, unable to withstand the combined might of 20 heavy blaster rifles  
overloading at a single focal point. As the backlash of energy forced the emitter to  
explode, fragments filled the air as Hard Drive shielded his unconscious son from  
the worse of the debris. When he was able to lift his head once more, Hard Drive  
could see the faint outlines of the Enforcers pouring onto the grounds. Within  
seconds he was surrounded.   
  
"Hard Drive..you're under arrest. Put your paws in the air now!" shouted  
one apparently high ranking Enforcer.   
  
Glancing over, Hard Drive noticed that several of the Enforcers had  
surrounded the Metallikat Express, apparently demanding Mollie surrender as well.  
Shaking his head, the villain began to laugh.   
  
"Oh come on guys! You've got to be kidding me!" he smirked, and within  
seconds his surge suit activated, converting his body to electronic impulses and  
with less time than it takes to blink, Hard Drive was in the Metallkat Express  
glaring at Mollie from a dashboard monitor.   
  
"Let's get outta here!" he shouted.   
  
"That's the first smart thing you've said all day, ya nerd!" sneered Mollie  
and as her metallic paw slammed into the gas pedal. The armored cruiser rushed  
forward, knocking two Enforcers out of the way with glancing blows. Pummeling  
over debris, the nightmare car showed no signs of stopping as it ran a corner,  
crushing a fire hydrant and disappeared into the deserted alley's surrounding the  
lab. Those Enforcers who still had weapons fired, but the energy bounced off the  
armored form with no effect.   
  
"What were you doing make there Hard Drive. You almost got us caught!"   
  
"Just making sure that little slap of yours didn't kill the punk, Mange!"  
Hard Drive snarled, putting on his best poker face as he emerged from the  
electrical systems and regained his normal form beside Mollie on the passengers  
side. "We were lucky the kid still had a pulse, or we'd might not have gotten out of  
there otherwise!"   
  
"Yea, whatever. Just remember, that punk kid's tail is mine! I'm the one  
whose gonna ventilate him six ways from Sunday! Don't even think about trying to  
take the kill Hard Drive!"  
  
Jacob looked quietly out the windows as Pumadyne labs - and the son he  
had to once again leave behind - faded into the distance. With a tone Mollie didn't  
quite expect, Hard Drive simply murmured..  
  
"No danger of that Mollie..none at all.."   
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Get down Sir!" shouted Kassie as a stream of deadly needles impacted in  
the wall behind the spot David Steele had occupied scants seconds beforehand.  
Venom leaked down the stairwell wall, the sickly green on white looking like some  
deranged artist at work. Recovering from the nearly fatal career change from  
Enforcer Commander to pin cushion, Steele raised his blaster and fired. The energy  
bolts sliced their way through the mutant cactus' torso as the twisted plant fell to  
the floor unmoving.   
  
"Great .One floor down and way too many to go.." murmured Kassie as  
she eased around the embedded spikes and the plant to join her commander at the  
door leading to the hallway.   
  
"I would agree with you on that Cadet, but since we're the only two who  
made it unaffected by Viper's mutant poison ivy, it's up to us to shut that maniac  
down. Permanently if need be."   
  
Kassie nodded, silently hoping that her fellow Enforcers would recover  
from the horrible rot that had covered those caught in the surprise deluge of  
venom from Viper's genetically engineered poison ivy; ivy that now encircled the  
first several stories of MegaKat Biochem.   
  
Glancing over, Steele blinked as he noticed that his companion still had not  
drawn her weapon. Risking a glance out the window, David saw the hallway  
appeared to be clear. Thus, he turned to face the cadet beside him.   
  
"This might be a bit easier if you arm yourself Cadet.." Steele commented  
evenly.   
  
Blinking, Kassie looked down at her sidearm as if seeing it was there for  
the first time. Sighing silently to herself, the young she-Kat drew the weapon.  
Steele watched as that same look of..uncertainity..crossed the Cadet's face.   
  
**Something's not right here..** he mused. Risking a quick glance out the  
door, Steele saw the hallway was..for the moment at least..clear. Turning back to  
face Kassie, he reached a decision.   
  
"Cadet..we need to talk."   
  
Jerking up, Kassie looked at Steele with an outwardly confused look,  
although on the inside she had a gut feeling what he was going to bring up.   
  
"Yes Sir..I guess we should..."   
  
"If you have a problem using your sidearm Cadet, I need to know why.  
You're my only backup, and I need to have someone I can count on to see this  
through to the end. Can I depend on you for that, or do I go this alone?" Steele  
paused, his voice even but with a sharp edge that gave no room for argument.   
  
"It's just that..I made a promise a long time ago Sir to..never take a life if I  
became an Enforcer. I've got to keep that promise, or I'll never see the man I love  
again.." Kassie leaned against the wall, her gaze falling to the floor.   
  
David blinked, caught off-guard by the admission from the young she-Kat  
before him. Casting another quick glance into the hallway, he then went over to  
Kassie.   
  
"That's a hard promise to keep Cadet, considering that every Enforcer may  
be asked to take a life for the greater good. The man who asked that of you..he  
means that much?"   
  
Kassie nodded..  
  
"He meant that much to me Sir." Past tense.   
  
Steele didn't like that at all. Kassie saw the look on Steele's face and  
elaborated.   
  
"His name was Donald, and that was his dying wish."   
  
Stunned, David walked over the young she-Kat and leaned beside her,  
trying to reduce the unease she felt telling something so apparently personal to her  
commanding officer. Maybe..he reasoned ...she needed to tell a friend instead. Of  
their own accord, words detailing the darkest point of Kassie's young life spilled  
forth..  
  
"We were at the museum when Hard Drive appeared,  
just..materializing..out of a wall outlet. Donald tried to protect me, but Hard Drive  
hit him with a blast of static electricity. It knocked him backwards over the bench  
we had been sitting at and in..into a glass display case." Kassie shuddered as the  
mental image of her fianc‚ lay dying in her arms, her body drenched in his blood.  
"He didn't..want me to be an Enforcer Sir. He was scared that I would get hurt.  
But..he realized that is what I wanted to do, so we met at the museum to try to  
work everything out. Donald believed in something beyond..our lives here, so he  
begged me to never take a life because he was scared that if I did, we would be  
forever apart when I..I joined him on the other side."  
  
"And you agreed?"   
  
"It was his..final wish sir..and I love..loved him. I had to."   
  
"Cadet..Kassie .Listen..please." For a moment David paused, his right paw  
reaching up to gently hold Kassie's left shoulder.."You can't risk your life here and  
now for what may or may not happen later on. I know you loved him, but you've  
got to think of yourself first and him second. I /need/ you believe in what we have  
to do Cadet. I know this sounds cruel and uncaring, but as much as you loved him,  
you /have/ to put your own safety first.."   
  
Kassie looked up at Steele, wanting to argue his logic; to defy how right he  
was. But she couldn't .She knew he was right; that Viper had to be stopped. Not  
just for their sakes, or for the Enforcers outside, but for every tom, she-Kat, and  
kitten outside these walls counting on the Enforcers to keep them safe.   
  
Parts of David regretted pushing Kassie like this; he had seen a fire in her  
outside that he found inspiring for some reason. Now his very actions threatened  
to extinguish that fire. But, just as Feral pushed him into admitting hard truths  
about himself, Kassie now had to face the same dilemma.   
  
A few tense moments passed until Kassie found her voice..  
  
"I..I believe Sir. And I promise to..to do..whatever it takes to save  
MegaKat City." she murmured, finally meeting Steele's gaze firmly. Brushing the  
tears from the corners of her eyes, the young Cadet unhooked the safety and  
nodded she was ready.   
  
Steele just nodded and reassumed his position by the door. Taking point,  
the Enforcer commander made his way down the hallway, intently bound for the  
5th floor containment labs that Walker and Ranger had spotted Viper going  
towards right before the ivy surround the building.   
  
"It's not like Viper to be this overconfident" Steele said as he and Kassie  
approached their objective. Despite numerous encounters with mutated plant life,  
neither David or Kassie encountered any lethal threats that posed a serious  
problem.  
  
Glancing through the door, Steele finally saw why resistance was limited in  
the building; every other plantamammal was in the lab, surrounding Viper with a  
sea of mutated creatures.   
  
"That's new. He kept most of his forces in the lab instead of sending them  
out into the building so that way if anyone did get this far they'd be forced to take  
on all those creatures and Viper himself. But..what is he after?"   
  
As if answering Steele's question, Viper held up the flask of Katalyst 69.  
Blinking, Steele parted the swinging doors ever so slightly as he crouched down to  
listen.   
  
"Thoossse foolssss! Thinking that Katalyst 69 was nothing more than an  
additive to keep cropssss sssafe from temperature extremesssss! But in my  
clawsss, I shall make into something much more! That fool Dark Kat believed it  
was jusst a chemical to keep those blasted Enforcers from freezing my creations. I  
shall recreate it into a virus so deady, it will destroy all plant life on the planet,  
leaving my mutations to rule the wastlands left. To think I was once content with  
conquering MegaKat City. With the Ssswat Katsss gone, the world itsself ssshall  
be mine!"  
  
**Not on my watch you creep!** fumed Steele as he motioned to Kassie  
to stay down. Jerking his head towards the lab, David raised his blaster and  
steadied himself.   
  
Kassie, upon realizing what her Commander was planning, readied her  
weapon as she tried to ignore the sick feel building in her gut. Forcing herself to be  
calm, she nodded and raised her own weapon.   
  
"On three..' whispered Steele. "You blast the container, I'll take Viper  
down." Kassie nodded. "One..two..three..Now!"   
  
With a hard shove against the polished metal doors, Steele and Kaylar  
tumbled through the entryway, coming up locked onto their respective targets.  
Almost simultaneously, the twin energy bursts raced forward, dead centered on  
their goals. Suddenly, at the last second, the blasts ricochet off an invisible shield  
and into the far back corners as Viper's creations surrounded them with  
unimaginable speed. Their weapons tossed casually aside, both Enforcers were  
soon bound by strands of steel-like vines as Viper himself began to laugh.   
  
"You pitiful foolssss! Do you really think to catch Dr. Viper unawaresss??  
From the moment you entered this building, you were mine to destssroy at my  
pleasssure!" Walking over, Viper /smacked/ Steele across the face as the villain  
cackled. "So, Dark Kat's source was true; Feral is no longer in charge of the  
Enforcers. And I have the pleasure of exterminating the weakling who attempted  
to fill hiissss ssshoes!"   
  
"The only one around here full of anything is you Viper, and you're full of  
sh.."   
  
Another hard smack rattled Steele as Viper's toothy grin filled the tom-  
Kat's vision.   
  
"I would ssssuggesst you watch your mouth, or my petsss sshall sshow you  
what I do to thossse who defy me..."   
  
Kassie struggled in vain as the vines proved as unbreakable as they felt.  
Glaring over at the red whelp forming on Steele's left cheek, the young she-Kat  
tried to draw Viper's attention away from her Commander.   
  
"I don't get it Viper. You hate technology, but that belt is defiantly not  
your style" the young Enforcer commented, noticing the gaudy fashion accessory  
Viper had strapped around his waist.   
  
Grinning, Viper slithered over to Kassie.   
  
"How very true my dear, but it would be a foolsss misstake to not learn  
from my past encountersss with the Enforcerssss and not prepare a defenssse  
against their wretched weaponsss if they ssshould try to interfere. Thiss reflective  
energy belt was a gift from Dark Kat; perhaps he's not asss inssane as we  
thought..." And with that, Viper's tail glided down Kassie's right cheek, the look in  
his eyes a mix of emotions the young Enforcer didn't want to even think about.  
"Sso very pretty my dear. Perhapss I will ssspare your missserable life if  
you..assssk..me nicely?"   
  
"Leave her alone you scumbag!" shouted Steele, struggling valiantly but  
getting nowhere. He fixed the villain with a glare that could melt Turbonium.   
  
Laughing that Steele's futile attempt at chivalry, Viper walked over and  
picked up the flask of Katalyst 69.   
  
"I hold in my handsss the key to Megassswamp City Enforcerss! After I  
refine thisss beautiful Mutagen, my creationsss ssshall never be burned or frozen  
again. Then I..not Dark Kat..shall rule MegaKat City! And when I further mutate  
this Katalyst, I will rule the world itself!"   
  
With that, Viper turned to his creations as the creatures gurgled and  
snarled in agreement with their creator.   
  
"Sure, like Dark Kat is going to just up and /let/ you run things. Come on  
Viper, we both know that's not even a remote possibility!" Steele pointed out,  
trying to buy time to work his way to his watch where a small explosive pellet laid  
hidden. It wouldn't be much, but if he could just get loose and reach his discarded  
blaster, a point blank shot might be enough.   
  
Viper turned and smiled, his toothy grin sending chills down both  
Enforcers' spines.   
  
"Don't take me for a fool Enforcer! I am well aware of Dark Kat'sss  
powersss and have taken steps accordingly. It'sss a pity that you won't live to sssee  
my gloriousss reign!!" Turning to the assorted mutates, Viper pointed at the two  
captives.."Now my petss..dessstroy them!!"   
  
"Not..today..Viper!" strained Steele as he reached his watch, a single claw  
flicking open the secret compartment as the explosive pellet fell into his palm.  
Aiming as best he could, David tossed the weapon into the center of the  
approaching mass of mutates and prayed.   
  
Caught off-guard by the explosion, Viper and his army was tossed against  
the far wall as if slammed by an invisible hand. Steele and Kassie grunted as the  
shock wave, although mostly absorbed by the creatures in front of them, was still  
effected by the weapon as the vines that held them gave way and the two  
Enforcers dropped to the floor momentarily stunned. The vial of Katalyst 69, freed  
from Viper's grasp, shattered against the wall ruined.   
  
"No..NO!" Viper growled as he shook off the effects of the blast and  
launched himself at Steele, claws dripping venom as the Enforcer Commander  
forced his disorientation down.   
  
Scooping up his weapon, Steele readied to fire. However, Viper was faster  
and his claws screeched over the metal weapon, causing the shot to go wide and  
blow a sizable hole in the vines blocking the window. Sunlight poured through as  
hero and villain became locked in mortal combat with the future of MegaKat City  
going to the victor.   
  
Kassie leaned against a wall, still trying to steady her vision as the multiple  
images of Viper and Steele began to coalesce after a few seconds. Gasping in  
horror, she watched as Viper's mutagen enhanced agility finally overpower Steele's  
Enforcer trained reflexes, the villain's tail coiling around Steele's neck as the  
Enforcer Commander began to make a sick gasping sound.   
  
Slowly the young cadet picked up the blaster at her feet and took aim, her  
hand trembling slightly as her mind became torn between saving her Commander  
and the though of never seeing Donald again.   
  
**Dammit Girl..do something..now!** Kassie yelled at herself as David's  
chest began to fall for what could be the last time. Blinking, Kassie fired, the energy  
blast bouncing off the energy field as expected, causing the ricochet to explode a  
section of ceiling. Plaster and metal rained down, crushing several more mutates out  
of existence.   
  
"Wha..??" yelled Viper as in his haste to destroy the Enforcer in his grasp,  
he had forgotten about the one behind him. Every so slightly his grip on David's  
windpipe loosened, buying David precious seconds of life and time that Kassie  
needed to win.   
  
Tossing the blaster down, the she-Kat took two steps and used the nearest  
mutant to get the extra few feet of height she needed. From the depths of reflex,  
long-honed gymnast skills surged forth as Kassie executed a forward flip towards  
Viper. At the apex of her move, her left paw reached her right wrist and three  
ancient shurikins emerged from their hidden sheath.   
  
Viper's peripheral vision caught site of movement behind him. Spinning,  
tried to shield himself from the impending attack but was too late and the sliver  
stars imbedded painfully in his body; two in his chest and one in his tail. A scream  
of pain erupted from the villain as he realized what had happened. In all past  
experiences with the Enforcers, they had always carried energy-based rifles. A  
primitive weapon like the shurikin was ignored by the reflective belt he currently  
wore.   
  
"You impudent..." Viper began to swear, but was cut short by a firm kick to  
his gut by the landing Kassie. Reeling over, he dropped Steele unceremoniously to  
the floor as he felt rather than saw Kassie's presence. Turning to face his  
attacker, Viper was simply punched in the face rather hard, the action not really  
needing any translation to describe how Kassie was feeling at the moment.   
  
"You make me sick Viper!" she yelled as a roundhouse kick emphasized her  
words perfectly. "Hundreds..thousands would have been killed in your mad scheme,  
yet you care nothing for those kittens you would have murdered for your goals?!  
You..you..son of a bitch!" she screamed, a powerful right cross lanced across  
Viper's face.   
  
Staggered, Viper stumbled backwards towards the gaping hole in the wall  
the errant blaster fire had created minutes earlier.   
  
"Back Woman! Viper ssshall not be defeated by an Enforcer, and a mere  
ssshe-Kat at that!" Snarling, he swirled around to use his tail to swat aside the  
advancing Enforcer.   
  
At the last second Kassie noticed the tail, but it was too late as the  
appendage impacted against her, sending her into David's grasp. Sunlight  
illuminated the ruined lab as the pair of Enforcers struggled to their feet. A long,  
dark shadow passed over them as Viper superimposed himself between them and  
the hole in the wall.   
  
"Now we ssshall end thissss game.. permanently!" Viper commented, his  
claws flexing for the kill.   
  
Without warning, two muffled impact shots broke the silence of the lab as  
Viper froze. Slowly, his eyes widened as he began to tremble harshly. Clutching his  
stomach, he fell to his knees in agony. "Wh...what..haaave..you.../done/??" he  
snarled at the now standing Enforcer Commander as the latter came to understand  
what must have just happened.   
  
"Anti-Mutagen darts. Broad-based formula with enough adaptability to stop  
even your immune system from destroying the carrier cells. Little present,  
compliments of the Enforcers. You're under arrest Viper."   
  
"Never...NEVER!" screamed the villain as he lunged to his feet to rip the  
Enforcer to shreds. But Steele was prepared that pulled back and let go with a  
savage uppercut that could have taken a normal Kat's head off. Dazed, Viper fell  
backwards towards the hole, oblivious to his nearness to falling out.   
  
"Viper..NO!" screamed Kassie as she saw him at the edge. Even though she  
despised this twisted mockery of Katkind with all her strength, for him to die like  
that was too easy a way to go. He deserved to rot in the deepest hole Alkatraze  
Island had to offer for the rest of his unnatural life, not twisted and broken upon the  
pavement.   
  
Rushing forward, Kassie tried to subdue Viper in an arm lock. But blinded  
by the inferno raging in his mutagen filled blood, Viper started to lash out but the  
forces of momentum and gravity overwhelmed his anger and his aborted attack on  
Kassie caused the slightest bit of motion needed to push him fully out the hole.  
Kassie just stared as it all passed by so quickly. One second, she nearly had the tail  
of his lab coat in her paws, then...nothing. Looking down, she took but a second to  
see Viper's contorted body lying on the soft ground of MegaKat Biochemical as the  
few remaining Enforcers unaffected by the mutanted poison ivy surrounded the  
fallen Kat.   
  
Turning away from the gruesome sight, Kassie stared blankly at the rubble  
strewn room and the assorted mutates that slowly died on the spot. Steadying  
herself, Kassie leaned against a still standing table and closed her eyes, composing  
herself. David sighed softly to himself as he gave the she-Kat a few minutes. Upon  
seeing her looking slightly less green, he pulled up next to the Cadet.   
  
"Not your fault Kassie. If he hadn't tried to attack you..." Steele began.   
  
"I..I know sir. I just..never wanted him to..not like..." she admitted softly.   
  
"I wish I could say it was the only time you'll ever run into this, but we both  
know I'd be lying. All I can say that I'll do whatever I can to help. However, the  
final decision on if this is something you want do..well.." he sighed softly. "I can't  
help you there. That decision is going to have to be yours alone."   
  
Looking at her Commander, Kassie nodded. She knew an Enforcer could be  
called on to face such horrors each day. Could she face this every day of her life on  
top of the risk of never seeing Donald again?   
  
"I..thank you Sir. It seems I've got a lot to think about."   
  
"Commander Steele, are you okay!?"   
  
Turning around, Steele stood and walked over to Lt. Nash as the latter  
entered the room, weapons drawn.   
  
"We're both fine Nash. I take it Viper's.." he paused, not wishing to presume  
anything.   
  
"As a doornail sir. The coroner just loaded the body. Nice to know these  
darts worked when they needed to."   
  
"For all our sakes Lieutenant. Now, what's the.." Steele began to ask, but  
was cut off by a communications officer dashing into the lab.   
  
"Sir !We've lost contact with the unit at MegaTron Labs. Some kind of  
frequency-wide jamming is making both vocal communications and electronic  
tracking useless within a 3 mile range of the area." Steele frowned as he knew all  
too well what that meant.   
  
"Status of Dark Kat's ship?."   
  
"We had it on radar sir up until about 3 minutes ago."   
  
"It disappeared when the jamming kicked in right?"   
  
"Yes, Sir."   
  
"What about our forces at Pumadyne?"   
  
"Under control sir. Reports are a bit scratchy, but only one confirmed  
fatality. Two Enforcers are in critical but stable condition en route to MegaKat  
Memorial now."   
  
Kassie gasped softly, fearing the worse.   
  
Quietly, Steele looked at Nash, then back to the communications officer.   
  
"Who?"  
  
"Cadets Jace Milkner and Tobias Jakeson sir. They somehow got  
under Pumadyne's defense shield and took on the Metallikats and Hard Drive."   
  
Steele blinked, not sure if to applaud their bravery or condemn their  
foolishness.   
  
"Who was the fatality?"   
  
"Mac Mange sir."   
  
Kassie and Steele looked at each other in shock. Slowly they turned to face  
Nash.   
  
"Mac Mange..dead..?"   
  
"Yes, Sir. Seems Cadet Milkner tried to arrest him and was forced to fire.  
The kid either got real lucky or is a crack shot because from reports the blast hit  
Mange's eye and exited out the back of his head. A one-in-a-million shot sir."   
  
"Is the body at the morgue?"   
  
"No, Sir. Mollie and Hard Drive escaped with it."   
  
Steele inwardly shuddered as he could feel Kassie's mood shift at the  
mention of Hard Drive's name.   
  
"We're trying to track them down, but.."   
  
"Belay that search Nash. As much as anyone I want to bring those two in,  
but we've got bigger things to worry about." Motioning for a radio, Steele took the  
offered transmitter and flicked it to 'on', setting the frequency to the wide-range  
codes. "All units, this is Commander Steele. All primary units, converge on  
MegaTron Labs. I repeat, /ALL/ primary units converge on MegaTron Labs and  
assist any friendly units engaged in conflict with Dark Kat's airship. Secondary  
units, continue to correlate patrol patterns through Enforcer HQ."   
  
Setting the radio on 'standby', Steele addressed the Enforcers before him.   
  
"Okay folks, this is it. Dark Kat's playing his trump card and it's up to us to  
make him fold. Move out!"   
  
As everyone moved from the lab back downstairs to their vehicles, Steele  
noticed Kassie staring out the window, as if looking for a sign that all was going to  
be okay. Quietly the Enforcer Commander walked over and gently placed his paw  
on her left shoulder. Kassie jumped slightly as the touch shook her from thought.   
  
"Sorry sir..I was.." she started to explain, but trailed off as even she could  
not explain what she was looking for.   
  
"I need you for round two, Cadet," Steele asked gently. "You with us on  
this?"   
  
Kassie stared at her Commander, knowing in her heart what he was asking.  
Even if his words didn't say as such, it was time for her to decide if this life was  
right for her. Casting a long, longing look at the heavens she turned and gently  
nodded. Deep inside, she hoped and prayed that Donald would understand and  
forgive her when the time came.   
  
"I am an Enforcer, Commander. There's scum that's begging to be stopped.  
I guess we're elected."   
  
Smiling, David nodded and patted Kassie's shoulder for a moment in  
understanding before he turned and ran out with Kassie following close.   
  
-------------------------------------  
  
"Attention all personnel...attention all personnel. This is a stage one alert.  
Dark Kat's airship has arrived. All support personnel are advised to leave the labs  
immediately. All combat personnel man your stations. This is not a drill..I repeat  
this is NOT a drill."   
  
The deceptively calm voice echoed from the intercoms throughout  
Megatron Labs as across the complex Kats ran for cover in the dubious safety of  
the underground shelters, or out through emergency evac tubes leading to the  
forests behind the main grounds. Atop the four guard towers that designated the  
perimeter of the labs hidden laser cannons appeared, targeting the massive V-  
shaped flying wing that began to hover overhead. Amidst the organized chaos, the  
few Enforcer troops that had been available to back up the in-house security force  
ran for cover, their weapons aimed at the sky ready to fire.   
  
Deep below ground level, the final touches were being added to the Exo-  
Kat as Mayor Ulysses Feral fumed.   
  
"Krud, he's here Hackle! How much longer??"   
  
The elder Kat looked up from the panel he was working on and sighed.   
  
"You can not rush such things Mayor. It's takes time to...."   
  
"With all due respect Professor, time is one luxury we just ran out of! Is the  
suit ready for combat?"   
  
Hackle sighed, nodding as he closed the final cover.   
  
"As ready as it shall ever be; but again, the danger.."   
  
Feral flipped the main power switch on slowly as the HUD came on-line. A  
green targeting scope appeared dead center the display as to the lower left, each of  
the suits' main offensive and defensive systems began to light bright yellow,  
indicating a 'ready' status. As the main power gauge began to fill, Ulysses looked  
over at the elder Kat.   
  
"The biggest danger is sitting on our heads Professor. We /have/ no other  
choice."   
  
Nodding in reluctant agreement, Hackle stepped back as he watched the  
former Enforcer Commander risk his very life for the city they all loved.   
  
"Sir..Dark Kat's broadcasting a message!" shouted one security guard from  
his post at the radio.   
  
Snapping his head around, Feral blinked.   
  
"Let me hear it!"   
  
Nodding, the guard piped the ultimatum both the main speakers in the  
weapons bay and the Exo-Kat's radio array.   
  
"...Kat .Your defensives are useless. Surrender the Anti-Matter to me or  
forfeit your lives. You have five minutes to comply, or be destroyed!"   
  
Blinking, Feral turned inward for a moment of much needed introspection.  
**Wait just a minute..when did Dark Kat ever start issuing time limits? Why would  
he suddenly start giving us time to decide, instead of just barging in and taking what  
he wanted. Unless he needs the time to...thats it! He's buying time for himself.. But  
why??**   
  
Flipping the final safety off, the neural link slowly moved from it's holding  
behind the headrest of the command chair towards Feral's head. With precise  
movements, the small plug connected to a well-hidden interface point buried just  
under the surface of Feral's fur along the back of his neck. Jacking into place, the  
link began to sense impulses from Feral's nervous system, moving in accordance  
with his wishes.   
  
Ulysses himself shivered as the link activated, the cold interface made even  
worse by the momentarily overload of his senses as the line between Kat and  
machine blurred and two started to become one. The operation to install the  
interface link had been a long, tedious effort, ending only after hours of painfully  
slow neurological surgery. The implant still gave him headaches from time to time,  
but as he was the Enforcer that fit the necessary psychological and physical profile,  
he was the best candidate to pilot this weapon of last resort.   
  
Turning to address his troops, Feral dimly admitted the fact that it was a  
ragtag lot at best. Sure, every Kat here knew the risks and was willing to lay down  
their life in the hopes of stopping Dark Kat, but MegaTron's security force was only  
marginally armed and the Enforcer's present were not in much better shape. Despite  
having some of their strongest portable artillery present, each Enforcer knew that  
Dark Kat's technology was vastly superior to what they had available. It would be a  
fight for every inch of ground.   
  
"I won't mince words here. Dark Kat's outside and he's here to steal the  
antimatter contained in the bunker directly below us. It appears that the other  
villains have joined him in a move to separate our forces and weaken our defenses.  
As it is right now, we are all that that stands between Dark Kat and the possible  
destruction of MegaKat City. The other Enforcers at Pumadyne and MegaKat  
Biochemical will join us as soon as possible, but we can /not/ wait for them. I need  
each and every one of you to believe in yourselves and what he must accomplish."  
  
"Will all due respect Sir" came a voice from the crowd, an Enforcer sergeant. "We  
knew the risks when we signed up. Dark Kat's taken a lot from everyone of late.  
We're drawing the line here and now sir. He will not pass."   
  
A chorus of agreement erupted throughout the room as a small smile tugged  
at the corners of Feral's mouth.   
  
"Then let's show that villain what it means to take on the Enforcers!"   
  
An eruption of pride filled the room as both the Enforcers present and  
MegaTron's security force pulled their respective weapons and waited for their  
Commander's signal.   
  
"Mayor..incoming message. From Dark Kat!"   
  
"Loudspeakers!"   
  
Within seconds, Dark Kat's voice filled the weapons bay once more.   
  
"Your time is up. Surrender the antimatter or else be destroyed!"   
  
**That's what you think you bastard!** growled Feral to himself as he  
turned the Exo-Kat back into launch position.   
  
"Let's give him our answer. To your stations!"   
  
With a organized rush of purpose, the assembled Kats ran to a series of  
elevators along a wall and in groups of 10 were lifted to ground level and started to  
deploy along the pattern Feral had designated in an earlier briefing. Feral closed his  
eyes and took just a second to scan the standard Enforcer radio channels,  
hoping..no, praying..that Shaun had found Felina. But the fates above were not  
being that kind this day, and the miserable sound of radio jamming static filled his  
ears. Pushing his worry for Felina down deep, Ulysses silently gave a quick prayer  
to the Goddess to keep his niece safe until she could be found. Switching off the  
speakers, Feral resisted cussing Dark Kat's name to seven kinds of hell and simply  
turned to one of the few technician left in the bay.   
  
"You..open the launch bay doors!"   
  
Nodding, the young she-Kat flipped a series of switches, unlocking the  
secret bay door that lead to the emergency escape tunnel the Exo-Kat was going to  
launch from. The poly-titanium door split down the middle, retracting into the sides  
of the wall to reveal a simple concrete corridor leading to the surface.   
  
"All troops..advance!"   
  
With a roar of jet thrusters, the Exo-Kat lifted off the ground, then streaked  
up the corridor to emerge from a hillside. Seconds later the remaining security and  
Enforcer troops poured out the tunnel, taking up their positions and began to fire at  
Dark Kat's ship from the relative safety of the woods.   
  
"Those fools! I give them a chance to surrender to save their pathetic lives,  
and they still resist my will?" growled Dark Kat in disbelief.   
  
Off to one side, several Creeplings scurried over a series of controls, using  
the time Dark Kat's ultimatum had bought to stabilize the secondary systems and  
partially energize the electrostatic shield over the most vital areas of the ship's hull.   
  
  
"They shall learn the error of their ways. All ballistic weapons, open fire.  
Obliterate them!" Dark Kat bellowed, knowing full well that with his energy grid so  
unstable his maser cannons were useless.   
  
**Even my secondary weapon systems will be more than enough to finish  
those..what....????** Turning at a radar alert warning, Dark Kat blinked as a fast  
moving object approached on an attack vector.   
  
"What is this??" he mused, knowing full well that all the remaining Enforcer  
helicopters were supporting their ground troops at Pumadyne and MegaKat  
Biochemical.   
  
The answer to the villains' question came not in words, but the full powered  
impact of dual repulsor cannons impacting against the shield that covered the  
bridge. Dark Kat blinked as his ship shuddered and he struggled to remain standing.   
  
"Visual!" he ordered to a Creepling. As the image solidified on a view  
screen, Dark Kat's eyes widened as one of his most hated enemies appeared on the  
screen. "Feral !And in the Exo-Kat?? Well well, it seems I may have perhaps  
underestimated the resourcefulness of the Enforcers. But no matter; that battle-suit  
shall serve quite adequately as Feral's coffin! Destroy him!"   
  
Chatting quickly, several Creeplings complied with their master's orders and  
abruptly shifted several antiaircraft batteries towards Feral and fired.   
  
"Holy Kats!" yelled Feral as the barrage barely missed, impacting behind the  
suit with enough force to toss the Enforcer head over heels for several moments  
before the internal gyrocompass kicked in and righted the former Enforcer  
commander.   
  
"Good try Dark Kat, but I'm not that easy to shake up!" sneered Feral as  
another volley of repulsor fire lanced out, impacting against the shields as the battle  
for the antimatter, and MegaKat City itself, rose in intensity. Yet..despite all the  
danger..all that was riding on this one fight, deep in Feral's mind his only though  
was that of his lost niece, and his prayers to the Goddess that she be returned to  
him safe and sound.   
  
-------------------------------------  
  
"Computer, recognize voice command!" shouted Felina as she ran down the  
hidden steps leading to the hanger below the salvage yard.   
  
|| Voice verified. Lieutenant Felina Feral. Voice match: 100%. Awaiting  
commands. ||   
  
"Bring all systems on-line and open Swat Kat weapons inventory list."  
Felina ordered, deep down hoping that the system still remained open for access. If  
the system had performed a full shutdown it would take both her and Callie's voice  
command to reactivate the system and with Callie gone..   
  
|| Weapons inventory ready. ||   
  
Sami stood back and watched in awe as the lights brightened considerably  
as the computerized systems in the hangar came off standby and went to full active  
status. As the darkened corners of the hanger drifted away, the vastness of the Swat  
Kat's operation became much clearer to the young Enforcer.   
  
"Felina..this is..wow. I mean..all this time..right here." her soft voice was  
filled with amazement and more than a hint of respect.   
  
Typing as fast as possible, Felina nodded in agreement as she herself knew  
all too well how her friend felt.   
  
"Same here Sami. I mean..we never though about looking here. A junkyard.  
Two of the greatest heroes in MegaKat City history were two Ex-Enforcers whose  
entire crime fighting operation was created out of junk and debris." Glancing over  
her shoulder, Felina smiled softly. "Boggles the mind don't it?"   
  
Nodding, Sami walked over slowly to the computer area Felina was  
working in when a scrolling screen caught her attention. Glancing over, she leaned  
over the edge of the console and watched as Felina pulled up an inventory listing.   
  
**Thank the Goddess they had the foresight to make this thing like an  
Enforcer mainframe, or I'd /never/ figure these command structures out..** she  
mused, wondering just how much Jake and Chance had planned in advance.   
  
"What are you looking for?"   
  
"I'm playing that hunch I mentioned Sami. Just like when you were trying to  
figure out what was going on with me and Callie, I've got a puzzle in my head that  
I'm missing way too many pieces too."   
  
"How so?"   
  
Pausing, Felina glanced up from the screen, a thoughtful look on her face.   
  
"Part of me accepts the fact that Jake and Chance would want to give the  
Enforcers what was left of their equipment.."   
  
"But..?"   
  
"But..I just can't accept the fact that they didn't have a back-up plan to go  
into battle. Surely those two would have realized that someday they would loose  
the TurboKat and I doubt they would have expected my Uncle to loan them a jet to  
finish whatever fight they were in. I also find it very hard to believe that an Enforcer  
jet would readily support their..unique..missile configurations."   
  
"So what your looking for is plan 'B' right?"   
  
"Bingo .I'm willing to bet that somewhere in storage is another jet that they  
were going to use if they lost the TurboKat in battle. It's the only solution that  
makes sense to me. What I can't figure out now is why they didn't include that  
information in their final request that Callie and I triggered when we fell down the  
steps." Sighing, Felina went back to the computer terminal and continued to surf  
through the various weapons files searching for a clue to the accuracy of her hunch.   
  
"Maybe they didn't, Felina, because they knew that w..you and Callie..would  
do something just like this and they didn't want you to risk your lives." Sami  
pointed out softly.   
  
This time Felina just sighed, unable to meet her friend's gaze.   
  
"Maybe.." she stared, her own tone low and soft.."maybe they didn't know  
us as well as they thought.."   
  
Feeling the need to give Felina a bit of privacy, Sami walked towards an  
interesting looking corner of the hanger. 'Cluttered' would have been a much too  
kind description of the place; old cans of oil and paint stood like sentinels against  
the far wall, their labels peeling and faded. The floor was covered in dust as if this  
section of the hanger saw little use other than storage. Cobwebs lay in the upper  
corners of the wall, long abandoned by their 8-legged creators. But the strangest  
thing of all..at least to Sami..is this is where the Jake and Chance kept their lockers  
for their G-suits. Lockers that looked much newer then the surrounding junk.   
  
"That's weird.." muttered Sami to herself.   
  
"Humm?" asked Felina, still engrossed in her research.   
  
"Just kind of odd they'd keep their lockers over here so far away from the  
launch area" noted Sami, casting a quick glance at the circular launch pad several  
dozen feet from her.   
  
Blinking, Felina looked up and over at her friend.   
  
"What do you mean 'so far away' Sami? Their lockers are right over.." and  
her voice trailed off as she noticed an identical pair of lockers to both her left /and/  
right. "Woah.."   
  
Walking briskly over, Felina studied the lockers, visually comparing them to  
the other pair against the opposite wall.   
  
"I guess they're older lockers that got replaced.."   
  
"I don't think so Felina. They're dusty, but far from useless." Blinking, Sami  
reached a paw over and wiped the dust away from the nameplates welded on the  
front of the left locker. "What the..?" she murmured.   
  
Seeing what Sami had discovered, Felina quickly displaced the dust  
covering the nameplate on the locker on her side. As the dust settled, both she-Kats  
stared in shock at the pair of names etched into each of the steel tags.   
  
"Sami..you don't think that...?"   
  
"That they knew you and Callie better than you thought? Maybe..but there's  
only one sure way to find out.." Nodding in agreement, Felina carefully began to  
open the door with her name on it, the hinges protesting at the activity.   
  
Seconds later Sami did the same with the locker labeled for Calico Briggs as  
both doors opened slowly, finally revealing a crucial part to Felina's mental puzzle.  
Inside each locker were mylar garment bags with neatly folded flight suits hanging  
on a small clothes rod. On a shelf above the bag were helmets, both colored  
identical to the ones worn by Razor and T-Bone. Beside the helmet was what could  
only be a Glovatrix, a bit smaller than any Glovatrix either had seen before, but  
otherwise identical down to the Swat Kat insignia on the top of each weapon. On  
the bottom shelf were matching pairs of steel-toed boots, each with the Swat Kat  
insignia on the side. Blinking hard, the pair of she-Kats slowly closed their  
respective doors and once again studied the nameplates on each. Moments later,  
each turned towards the other as a soft smile tugged at the corners of Sami's mouth.   
  
"Does this mean.. what I think this means.. Sunspot?"   
  
"I think it does..Moonshot..I think it does indeed." confirmed a smiling  
Felina as both she-Kats stood there, poised on the brink of destiny.   
  
TO BE CONCLUDED..   
  



	4. Chapter Five: Phoneix

Authors notes:  
  
Well. It's been what...three, four YEARS since I did anything with this story. Why?? I simply don't know. All I can say is I wrote where the muses took me, and they had no flights for MegaKat City scheduled at all.   
  
What I will promise is that I will do my best to finish this story-I owe the characters AND you, my readers...that at least. All I can ask now is your forgiveness and your patience.   
  
Hang on cause it's going to be one hell of a ride!  
  
PS-I don't own Swat Kats  
  
  
  
Ashes to Ashes   
Part 5--"Phoenix"  
  
"Damm it Scott! Keep it /steady/ son! I'm trying to run a breather here!"  
  
Jerking at the wheel of the EMS transport, the young Kat simply nodded as the vehicle swerved around another batch of debris in the road; this time the apparent remains of a charred Enforcer cruiser.   
  
"Love to oblige there Dad, but considering these roads are tougher to navigate than the Amazon at flood stage, I'll do the best I can...!"  
  
Matt Katter nodded, as his choclate-brown fur slowly settled back down from it's upright position as green eyes glanced up apologetically at his golden-furred son.   
  
"Listen, Scott...." began the elder paramedic, but was stopped by a cheerful smile in the rearview mirror.   
  
"It's okay pop. I understand..." reassured the owner of those blue-eyes Matt knew so well. "But let me worry about the road; you just keep that kid breathing. I don't know about you, but I'm in no mood to loose another good Kat because of this madness.." Scott intoned as his voice darkened noticeably from its normal upbeat sound.   
  
Matt didn't reply; there wasn't a need for one anyway. Turning back to one of his patients, the father let his focus drift from his son to the young tom-Kat before him. Easing the tube into place, Matt sighed in relief as the Enforcer began to breath a little easier.   
  
**It's not possible that he should be able /to/ breath, yet he is actually able to do it on his on! Another few more paw-pounds of pressure and that Metalikat would have crushed the windpipe. But unless...until... he wakes up, there is no way to determine any brain damage or not.... .**  
  
"Uuhh.. Did anyone...get the number..of the freight train that ran me over...?" came the groggy query from the back corner of the ambulance as Jace Milkner slowly rejoined the land of the conscious.   
  
Casting a quick glance over to his other patient, Matt couldn't help but smile at the young tom's sense of humor was at least in one piece.   
  
Which was a damm sight better than the rest of his body. Jagged cuts, scars and abrasions covered the young Kat as a few bandages and iodine were the best Scott could offer in-between helping the young Enforcer who hovered along deaths' door.   
  
"Don't push yourself kid..." advised Matt. "Sometimes a hit like that will joggle your short-term memory. Don't fight it and let your brain straighten itself out.What's the last thing you remember?"  
  
Jace sat there for a long moment before fragments of memory rushed through is still awakening mental processes. "Mac...Mange..I think? I don't...uuuh....it's all so fuzzy...." groaned Jace as he tried to force focus on recent events, but was met by a doozy of a headache. After the world decided to stop spinning so badly, he tried to stand but found his legs were not much better than jelly.   
  
"What part of 'Don't push yourself' was unclear kid?" sighed Matt as he reached over and offered a paw for support until Jace could again find a comfortable sitting position.   
  
A quick nod of 'thanks' was tossed Matt's way and he replied in kind as best he could. A short silence filled the back of the transport until Jace finally noticed Tobias lying on the stretcher beside the paramedic.   
  
"Woah..Tobias!" yelped the Enforcer as he forced himself to his knees, this time the pain of his body buried by the desire to make sure his oldest friend was okay. "What's wrong with him??'...he exclaimed, leaning forward to rest his paws on the cot in-between Tobias's paws.   
  
Not wanting to upset the young Enforcer any more, Matt 'conveniently omitted' several facts that would have made Jace more upset than he needed to worry about. "He's sleeping and I've run a breathing tube to help ease the strain on his respiratory system. All he really needs is rest... ."   
  
"Doc, don't scam me. Please..up front..." said Jace, looking his elder right in the eyes. "Is Tobias going to die?"  
  
Matt pondered how to answer. He could easily give some complicated answer, born of medical facts and theories that would confuse the young Kat enough to buy his friend time to get better on his own, but he had been asked a straight answer and to reply otherwise would be a cowards way out.   
  
"I wish I could tell kid, I really do."  
  
"Why not? Why can't you....?" began Jace, but was cut off by a reassuring paw upon his shoulder.   
  
"The problem is that even though physically he's in bad shape; the damage to his windpipe and general upper respiratory distress, these level injuries aren't fatal on their own. It's...just...."  
  
" 'Just What...' Doc?"  
  
"It's like he's lost the will to live. I /know/ that's not very scientific, but that's the best way to say it. He's just not fighting to get better."  
  
A quiver of worry ran down Jace's spine as the words sank in. Fighting against the tilting floor of the ambulance and his own aches and pains, the young Enforcer made his way over to Tobias's side and clutched his paw around the right paw of his friend.   
  
"Come on Tobias. You've got to fight, okay? Doc says you shouldn't bail out on living now, and I know your not a quitter. You've never gave up on anything in your life Tobias and I /won't/ let you start now!' challenged the young Kat through tear-filled eyes.   
  
Even though he had seen such acts of friendship over the years, Matt knew that the possibility of Tobias hearing his friend--and responding--was marginal at best. Still, the strength of their friendship was all-too apparent in that shared grasp, and he knew that if ever such compassion and friendship was needed, it was /now/.   
  
Staggering through the desolate field, Tobias tried to grab onto a charred tree branch to support himself, but to no avail. Snapping under his weight, both limb and Kat fell to the ground.   
  
Wincing as the sharp rocks cut into his fur, the young Enforcer forced himself upright with fists tightly clenched. Denying the urge to scream in pain, he forced himself forward along the nightmarish landscape until he stumbled into a dense fog bank. Pausing, he tried to get directions when echoes of voices caught his attention.   
  
"You failed me Tobias.."  
  
"Disappointed me.."  
  
"I trained you to be the best Tobias and /this/ is the result? Pathetic..."  
  
"You promised to be her protector Tobias. Your failure has doomed us all..."  
  
"NO! Please..no. I...I haven't failed. Please, don't say these things, I beg of you!" shouted the tormented tom-Kat into the mists that surrounded him.   
  
"Your failure began when you caused our deaths son; now your chance for redemption has failed as well."  
  
Spinning around, Tobias felt his stomach turn inside out as two shadowy figures emerged from the soupy fog. seconds later they were followed by several other forms but it was the first two that terrified him the most.   
  
There was no face on their skeletons, but deep in his heart Tobias knew these two figures could only be...  
  
"Mother..Father..please..don't say that.." he begged softly. "I...every day I pray that you would somehow forgive me..."  
  
"There can be no forgiveness, my son..." mused the form that used to be his dear mother. "You killed us with your selfishness. Now you have failed the Princess you swore to protect with your own life. Such a poor son.."  
  
"A disgrace to the family.." added the spectral father.   
  
"I trusted you with the future Tobias. I see now that was a grave mistake on my part.."  
  
Turning to his left, Tobias paled as Arkatta stood there, a soulless glint in her lifeless eyes. "No ma'am! I...I swore to be her protector and. I still will complete my vow! I just need a little more time...that's all...just a little more time!"  
  
"There can be no more time Tobias. You have failed me, and you have doomed the future. What makes you think you deserve another chance?"  
  
Spinning to his right, the young Enforcer felt a sharp stab of pain shoot through his spirit as Calista, ravaged by time, stood there with empty eyes narrowed in boundless anger at the young Knight she had foolishly put so much trust in.   
  
"M...My Queen. Please..you don't understand. I know my duty was to protect your daughter. I /swear/ I will do that! But..finding her...it is no small task! All I need..."  
  
"You deserve no more time or chances Squire." intoned the grizzly decayed body of Sir Nathaniel Steele as the dead Kat fixated his bare sockets upon his former pupil.   
  
"No...why won't you understand?! Why can't you understand what I..."  
  
"What is it that we do not understand Tobias?" asked a soft voice, this one still shrouded in the mists.   
  
With silver fun paling to sheer white, Tobias hesitantly took a step forward. "Princess..I have not failed you! Please understand that I am still looking for you...to fulfill my vow!"  
  
Even though he had only seen the princess but as a baby, somehow deep in his soul Tobias knew that beyond a shadow of a doubt it was her who addressed him from the mists. "My Princess...please..let me see you. Then I shall find you and keep my promise!"  
  
"You wish to see me young Knight? Very well..."  
  
It was then the mists slowly parted, and from within came a most hidious figure. The charred remains of the once beautiful princess filled Tobias's gaze as her former golden fur was now blackened and scorched. The eyes were empty, barren of any compassion that a child of Calista would possess in great quantity.   
  
As the scream of terror died in his throat, gnarled and withered hands clasped at his shoulders and base of his neck, dragging Tobias down into the dead earth beneath his paws. Soon the ghostly image of the Princess join in, her boney paw cold against his face.   
  
"Failure...."  
  
"Useless...."  
  
"Disappointment...."  
  
The voices chanted over and over, filling his ears with hateful bile. The earth slowly reached his mouth, blocking his every attempt to breath.   
  
The monitors firmly mounted in the bouncing ambulance squealed as Tobias suddenly went flat line! Matt blinked once, then with a burst of adrenaline-enhanced speed, shoved Jace out of the way and began CPR.   
  
"Come on kid. Fight! Fight to keep going! Don't let the bastard win!"   
  
The voices were muffled more now as the earth slowly rose over his nose. Each attempt to draw a breath met with more dirt down his throat. A single paw still struggled to reach the fading sky he saw just out of reach. Pawtips stretched to the maximum, the time-lost Knight searched for one ray of light....a single strand of hope....to latch onto.   
  
He had not failed; that much he knew. But a sign to reaffirm that belief; for all he gave up, was such a request so unwarranted?  
  
The ambulance suddenly skidded to a wayward stop as Scott slammed on the brakes, unable to do more than just stare in awe at the sight before him   
  
"Scott...Scott what he hell is going on up there!!" yelled Matt as he struggled to get his young patient to take just one life sustaining breath.   
  
When there was no answer, Jace tore to the front through the small archway that separated cab from bay and was about to let loose with a flurry of profanity for stopping at such a crucial moment when he, too, simply paused to stare with a mixture of emotions at the sky in front of them.   
  
Matt finally risked a glance, his sure paws never stopping the motions on Tobias's chest. But even the elder Katter, who despite all he experienced as a solider in the Mobile Armor Strike Kommands, was not immune to the image of a crystal blue whirlwind as it raced across their path, only to disappear into the sea of buildings as it turned a corner.  
  
Unseen by the startled trio, a small flutter on the monitor rose into existence.   
  
It was then Tobias saw a light appear behind the spectral images of those he once called friends and family. Growing brighter with each passing moment, the blue flame seemed to burn away the mists from inside out, leaving only those horrific images of his attackers.   
  
Soon, they too were burning. As if being drowned in hellfire, the phantoms faded into the nothingness they were born from leaving only a beaten Tobias upon the cold ground. With his outstretched paw, the young man reached for the light, knowing the universe had at last heard his plea.   
  
As his paw closed around the center of the light, a wash of realization flooded through him. The blue aura filled his being, creating within him a sense of purpose he had thought nearly lost forever.   
  
"Hold on my Princess! I shall stand by your side and fulfill my promise to your mother, my Queen. You will /not/ face this battle alone! I, as a Knight of the Round, swear it upon my father's name!"  
  
As if to lend strength to his pledge, images of times long past filled the young Enforcer's mind. Times of laughter and tears, of deep sorrows and soaring joys. But most of all, it was the memory of his orange-and-black striped adoptive father that gave Tobias the strength to pull himself back up into the light.   
  
/That/ Kat he would never let down.   
  
"What the hell was that!?" exclaimed Jace as he looked at the driver, who looked very pale.  
  
"I...I don't know..." stammered Scott as he attempted to rationalize what has just happened.   
  
  
"We...we can't worry about that now Scott!" exclaimed the elder of the trio. "We've got to get your friend to...." and with that last word Scott's voice trailed off into silence as he turned to stare at the empty cot where Tobias had been moments before.   
  
Matt and Jace followed Scott's gaze and nearly collapsed in pure shock.   
  
"Tobias!" yelled Jace as the two medics sat there, frozen in place .He darted out the now-opened rear door and stumbled onto the battered and charred city street.  
  
But of Tobias Jakeson there was no sign.   
  
  
"With all due respect Sir T-Bone…"cooly worded the burly cook…"the mistakes of this waif are mine to deal with. Rest assured that he will be well punished for causing such a mess in the Queens' own kitchens."   
  
With that, the cook slid his arm from Chance's grasp and advanced upon the kitten, now huddled in a corner as the frightened youth tried to hold back the fear of the beating that was now upon him.   
  
Chance was shocked beyond words. The 'such a mess'-the supposed reason for the strike- was nothing more than a few bowls of pepper stew sloshed over /maybe/ two square feet of the kitchen floor. But even more stunning was that the others in the room; both teen-aged servants and their adult counterparts, simply walked by not even giving a second glance at was about to happen.   
  
A flurry of movement brought Chance's attention back towards the cook as the figure snarled rather deeply and with his left paw grabbed the kitten by the scruff of the neck and jerked him out from the dubious safety of his corner.   
  
A look of pain lanced through the kitten's eyes as the motion caused a stab of agony to race down his spine. But even more painful was the hateful glare that met his tear-filled eyes as the cook shook him without remorse.   
  
"Worthless little urchin!" spat the Kat at his helpless captive. "I take you in, give you bed and food for your miserable hide, and you can not even pay that back by doing the simplest of chores!? You should have died in that landslide along with your parents brat! We all would have been better off…." and with that the meaty paw of his right arm began to fall.   
  
The burly cook never saw it coming...  
  
  
  
In the quiet of the hanger, the loud 'ping' of a search engine result was as startling as a shout to a deaf man suddenly able to hear.   
  
Half-dressed in the garments provided by Jake and Chance, the two she-Kats looked at one another, then towards the console Felina had been using several minutes ago. Knowing that the answer on the flickering screen could lead them to victory or defeat, the pair slowly zipped up the flight suits and quietly walked over.   
  
It wasn't until they both exhaled deeply that the pair realized they had stopped breathing. Now, with the means to stopping Dark Kat's rampage all-too-clear, the pair of Enforcers had to make a final, immutable decision.  
  
To fully embrace the gift...the legacy...left to them by Razor and T-Bone or to walk away, and fight as they always had done so before but this time to a bittersweet end.   
  
"Sami...I..it's not too late for you to go back...." began Felina, trying one last time to give her best friend a way out of what would surely be an inglorious end to her Enforcer career...and quite possibly her life... but the look upon Sami's face spoke volumes.   
  
"And leave you to face him alone Felina? I don't think so. What kind of friend...what kind of Enforcer... would I be to abandon one of my own in the face of their greatest fight?" replied the young she-Kat meeting Felina's thoughtful gaze with one of her own.   
  
"But that's just it Sami! We do this and we /can't/ be Enforcers anymore. There's no way to be full-time Enforcers and part-time Swat Kats. How many excuses will we be able to come up with to get away; and how long before someone puts two and two together?"  
  
"And if we don't do it Felina, the Swat Kat legacy died with Razor and T-Bone." said Sami softly, but with honest observation. "Everything they ever did; every risk they took to safeguard Megakat City will have been for nothing because in the end, there wasn't anyone to carry on in their place." Sami countered, watching the look on Felina's face switch from one to hopeful persuasion to disturbing realization.  
  
After an eternity, Felina looked at her friend and nodded with regretful acceptance."Either way, someone loses Sami. It's a simple decision then; to choose if the losers are us... or them."  
  
A gentle paw of reassurance rested upon Felina's shoulder as Sami eyes clearly showed the choice she had already made the moment they found their flight lockers-and the mission left for them to finish.   
  
Felina's own mental battle was not so easily won. Her lifetime of achievements as an Enforcer fought against her desires to embrace the mantle left by Jake and Chance. It was then another unwelcome thought entered her already fractured thoughts.  
  
Her uncle would /never/ forgive her.   
  
He would never understand...or accept... the 'why's of such a decision. Never believe that this path was the one she needed to tread. Never realize that /here/ is where she could do the most good.   
  
But as much as she loved her Uncle, a lifetime of strong personal ethics and her Enforcer training left one thing crystal clear; the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the few. It's why one Enforcer would willing give his or her life for a total stranger. It is what defined her to the universe. To be a measure of light against the dark was a noble calling, but it could always demand the ultimate price.   
  
Now it was the life she had, those accomplishments she treasured along with the love and respect of her Uncle against the potential lives of a million Kats out there in the city hiding in fear of the Dark One.   
  
Then, quite simply, the decision became as clear as a summer day. It was no less painful, but to deny this calling would carry too high a price.   
  
With a gentle smile, Felina's hand went to rest on Sami's opposite shoulder as she nodded in decision.   
  
"Sami...?"  
  
Smiling, the younger she-Kat looked at her friend in reply.   
  
"Let's do it."  
  
With a final nod, Sami pulled away and gently slipped the final bit of her new outfit...her mask...over her face as her long flowing hair was pulled into a single ponytail, draping smoothly over her shoulder. With a final tug, she clenched her left fist, making sure the Gloveatrix was secure.   
  
Moments later Felina did the same, making sure her identify was well-concealed behind the fabric mask and her Gloveatrix was locked into place.   
  
Thus ready and now clad in their new identifies, both looked at the large red button dead center of the console. With a slight nod towards her friend, Moonshot gently stepped back and gave Sunspot this moment all to herself.   
  
With a knowing and grateful smile, the she-Kat raised her right fist up and, only after a seconds pause for a quick prayer, slammed the paw down upon the button.   
  
All hell had broken loose as the alarm klaxon sounded out, filling the hanger with its shrill call. A puff of steam from deep in the complex swirled and dispersed as a long unused secondary lift slowly churned into life.   
  
A massive 'clank' of changing gears shook the floor, startling the two she-Kats. It was then the lift, normally bearing the TurboKat, came into view. But instead of the sleek jet all of Megakat City knew, another powerful aircraft waited to become airborne at the hands of her new crew.   
  
As the lift dial rotated into final position, Sunspot and Moonshot ran towards the sleek black form, their boot-clad paws slamming against the hard surface of the metallic floor.   
  
It was then Sunspot noticed a grin on the face of her partner and called over. "What?"  
  
With a shake of her head, Moonshot grinned a little wider. "You know...someone needs to say it."  
  
"It..?" Felina blinked, unaware of what Sami was talking about until the most obvious answer dawned on her. "Oh.." she mummered, feeling a bit sheepish she didn't think of that before her friend. A moment later Felina grinned back. "I think it has to be both of us...together...for it to sound right."  
  
With a nod of agreement, Sami reached out to grab the imbedded paw-hold on the side of the cockpit. With a agile tug, both she-Kats began an upwards arc so as to land in the padded seats of their new jet. Reaching the apex of their jump, Moonshot's and Sunspot's bold voices suddenly cried out to the heavens, as if trying to reach Jake and Chance no matter where they might be watching from on high. .   
  
As if to let them know the choice /had/ been made.   
  
The words had been said before. Individually they were unremarkable, even common. But said together with such passion they would signify a change in two honorable she-Kats and notify the universe that a new era was about dawn.   
  
As the canopy closed and the engines erupted into raw thrust, the words echoed throughout the hanger long after the jet had lanced forward and up into the boundless sky above Megakat City.   
  
Words that summed up their feelings all too perfectly.   
  
"LETS KICK SOME TAIL!!!"  
  
  
To Be Continued..... 


	5. Chapter Six: The Gathering Storm

Swat Kats Ashes to Ashes Chapter 5--The Gathering Storm  
  
by Fortress Maximus

(due to new editing software here, thoughts are in (( )) until I figure this new upload tool out)  
  
Despite each breath being tiny daggers piercing his lungs, Tobias continued to stagger down the debris-filled sidewalk. Each step brought him that much closer to the Princess; he had been given a second chance and he was not going to waste it.  
  
But with each of those pain-filled step, his newfound strength started to fade. The injuries suffered at the hands of Mac Mange had not healed and the exhaustion that threatened to overwhelm him the moment his guard fell did little to help his condition. A few more steps was all it took for the young Kat collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath as the world spun out of control around him.  
  
While his will to save his Princess was unbreakable, his body wasn't.  
  
It was then he felt himself being pulled up to his paws... quite literally this time... as a pair of strong arms wrapped under his own and helped him upright. Vision clearing, he forced himself to view past the burred imaged and fixed his helper with a grateful look. Looking to be in his mid-50's and close to his own height, Tobias could just make crimson tinted tan fur. Piercing blue eyes greeted his focused vision as it was then the young Knight saw the rather snug Enforcer's Sergeants' outfit covering his benefactors' form.  
  
"Thank you Sergeant....." he mummered in thanks as he finally found his balance. Had he not been to the point of collapse Tobias would have recognized this was the same Kat who handed him, Jace and K.K. the weapons back at Enforcer HQ when the madness erupted and directed them to their transports.  
  
"Thanks are not necessary young Knight..." replied the Kat as he backed away slowly from the younger Enforcer, his words coming slow and deliberate.  
  
It took a moment for the Sergeant's choice of wording to register with Tobias, but when they did he quickly turned to face the other Kat. "What...did you say?" came the shocked query as he fixed the Sergeant with a hard gaze.  
  
"I know who you are, young one; who you /truly/ are. Cadet Tobias Jackson...or should I say... Tobias Jake Furlong, Knight of the Round of Megalith City and chosen protector of Princess Calico. And please, do not try to deny it for it would only make a fool of yourself in the attempt."  
  
At that the young Kat backed up, grabbing for his baton as his true identity-lost to over 400 years of time-stood blatantly revealed by this stranger. "Who are you?! No Kat alive knows that!" he demanded of the being before him.  
  
"Save for I, young one. I was there when you swore your oath to protect the Princess. I was there when Arkatta sent you into this future to watch and wait for the Princess to appear. I was there the day you said good-bye to your adoptive father and stepped into this future an orphan for the second time in your life."  
  
Shaken at how laid bare his most personal of memories were to this stranger, Tobias could only stare on in shock. "What do you want?" he asked quietly, still unsure if this creature was friend or foe.  
  
"What I want, young Knight, is to aid you in your quest! The Princess is ready to stand against the evil that threatens your world! So will you let me help you, or would you rather stand here and banter back and forth like a couple of chatterboxes?" he scolded in a very reproving tone.  
  
"You say you are an ally of the Realm and that you know of my mission to this time. Then tell me something that only a true friend of Callista would know! Prove to me that you are indeed an ally and not a specter conjured by the Dark One!"  
  
Closing his eyes, the elder resisted the urge to lash out in anger.(( The boy has a right to make sure of my allegiances he told himself)), remembering all this young Kat before him had gave up to fulfill this most important quest. His eyes opened and fixed the youth with an softer expression.  
  
"The night before departure, you crept out of the castle and visited the grave of your birth parents. Upon their markers you swore you would not fail in your quest and begged them to forgive your role in their deaths. You feel asleep, crying against their headstones. You awoke to find Callista holding you as she sat vigil."  
  
A powerful blush cascaded over the young Kat's cheeks as the memory of what had happened surfaced from the depths of his mind. "Then...then what you say must be true! I told no one at the castle of those events, and Callista herself swore she would keep that our secret."  
  
"As I said young one, I was there and I know the blame you have placed upon yourself for the death of your birth parents. But, now, you /must/ let go of that guilt and focus on the present; Princess Calico needs you..." and with those words the being reached out, whispering a long unused spell...  
  
"By warmth of heart, your pain I feel,"  
"Grant me the power your wounds to heal."  
  
Before the startled Knight could react, a warm feeling started to grow within his heart. Soon it spread out over his form, filling him with a comfortable sensation as he could literally feel his various aches and pains vanish as if they never existed.  
  
Moments later the spell ended, and the elder of the pair slumped his shoulders as he tried to catch his breath. "It has been too many years since I used that spell." he said, finally glancing back up to look at the youth. "I have healed you as best I can young Knight. The rest is up to you."  
  
"Sir, I..." Tobias began, but paused when he could not think of the words sufficient enough to thank this stranger for helping him achieve his lifelong quest. "I must go now. There's not a lot of time, and I /must/ reach the Princess in time."  
  
With a smile, the elder waived his paw and before Tobias could react he vanished into thin air, teleported to the site of battle. "Good luck young one. The hopes of the past and future rest upon your shoulders."  
  
"And who's fault is that Merklyn?"  
  
Spinning around, the Kat's form shifted back to it's normal spectral image, revealing the wizard's true form.  
  
"Jaga..." rumbled Merklyn's voice, clear he was none-to-please at the company. "I should have known the Council would have sent you. I suppose they are requesting my presence ...again?"  
  
The mix of human and jaguar nodded, his weathered face a sharp contrast to the brilliant glimmer in his eyes. A free-flowing cape of shimmering iridescent purple fluttered behind him. A stylized insignia of a cat's head adorned an amulet in the middle of his chest. "The others feel you have gone too far this time Merklyn. They have turned a blind eye to your interactions in the past as they know your desire to help these creatures. But to use your powers on them directly; that violates a cardinal rule that we all must obey. You know of this, and yet you still disobeyed it. Why?"  
  
"Why?! Have your long years of existence dulled your sense of right and wrong Jaga? These creatures must have our help in the battle that is yet to come! I see no difference in my aid to them when compared to the guidance you offered your own kind when their future was in doubt!"  
  
"But that is just it Merklyn; these are not your kind! You're very presence here and in the past has set them on a path they were never meant to tread!"  
  
Fists balling in anger, the wizard stared coolly at his friend. "That is only one opinion Jaga; one that I do not share. They were not blessed with your race's luck Jaga; they have /no/ guiding spirit to help in their darkest hour! And I will not stand by and watch the Council dictate policies that would only hasten the demise of this world and all who live in it! Be they Kats or humans, they deserve our help in whatever form we can give them and damm the worries of that council of decrepit cowards!"  
  
The spirit of Jaga stepped back, long having seen Merklyn so passionate about the plight of others. ((Something about these creatures has struck a long dormant cord within him. Can his words be true; have we played it safe for so long that we have forgotten what it is like to take a risk for the greater good?)) he thought to himself as long moment of silence filled the air.  
  
"Please Jaga, look with your heart at the plight of these beings. I could not help my own kind escape their fate; let me find purpose once more and help these Kats receive a better fate than the one we both know will happen if we stand by and do nothing!"  
  
Jaga looked at his friend and listened to Merklyn's words, as honest and open as they were powerful. With a deep sigh he nodded in tentative agreement. "Come Merklyn; they are expecting us. But...perhaps... there is a sense to your words they might yet come to understand." he said, offering the wizard a hint of agreement.  
  
With a nod, Merklyn accepted his friend's delicate position and together they vanished from view.

---------------

"ETA four minutes and closing Sunspot..." informed Moonshot as she continued to learn the weapons systems of the new jet.  
  
"Any luck on figuring out the firing controls yet?" Sunspot asked hopefully as she worked as diligently to understand the control systems of the supersonic craft that surrounded them.  
  
"Do you have the flight controls worked out yet?" Moonshot countered as the young she-Kat continued to run simulations on the best attack pattern to use upon arrival at MegaTron Labs.  
  
Sunspot didn't answer immediately, knowing Sami was trying her best to master the systems in such a short amount of time. "Working on that Sami. I'm just glad Jake and Chance made this thing close to an Enforcer layout. Can I do anything to help back there?" she asked, turning a sharp bank that would put them on the fastest course for the fire fight.  
  
"Wish I could say yes Felina, but while the launch system is fairly simple in and of itself; these freaky missile configurations are going to give me a headache for sure!"  
  
With a smile, Felina nodded as she was glad her friend still kept a sense of humor out their situation. "Roger that Moonshot. ETA...3 minutes..." Sunspot said, her fingers tightening around the yoke as Dark Kat's airship slowly appeared over the horizon.  
  
With a nod, Sami took a quick glance out the cockpit before returning to work, trying to load the launch tube with the best opening salvo she could create.  
  
((We're coming for you Dark Kat))... thought Sunspot, her eyes narrowing on the smoke rising in the distance. ((T-Bone and Razor may be gone, but their memory won't be forgotten! You are going to pay for what you did to them, to Callie, and to our city! We're going to shove their legacy right down your throat!))  
  
With another slight course correction, Sunspot brought the jet into perfect alignment as both she-Kats date with destiny drew closer by the second.  
  
(to be continued) 


	6. Chapter 7: Ask and Ye Shall Receive

Swat Kats Ashes to Ashes

Chapter 7: Ask and Ye Shall Receive

By FortressMaximus

--

Authors notes: SURPRISE!! Just a small chapter folks, but I'm still kicking and determined to finish this sucker no matter what! Without a doubt I have to thank each and every one of you for not giving up!

I really hope you enjoy this update and please consider leaving a review!

Thanks again to everyone!

FortressMaximus June 5th 2008

Disclaimer: I don't own Swat Kats, but if I did, oh yea...we'd have box sets-with tons of interviews with the voice actors..and creator..and..well, you get the idea.

Silver colored paws fell upon the hard blacktop as Tobias's stomach emptied onto the parking lot, guts heaving their contents all the way back to lunch the day before. (Goddess, I forgot how bad I reacted to teleportation spells...) thought the young warrior as he tried to regain his composure.

"You were right Calista; 'course you always were..." he whispered as the churning in his stomach eased.

The Kat's mind slowly drifted back to the days when he was still a page in the Royal Court and had come up with the bright idea to learn magic-teleportation magic to be exact. Calista had not forbade the learning of magic /as such, but it was law that all teachings had to be done by a qualified mage or sorceress and with Her written permission.

Tobias, with youthful certainty that he could teach himself -and make it a wondrous surprise for Calista-decided to ignore both rules. Night after night while the Queen was engaged in court affairs, he snuck into her personal library and copied down the ingredients and incantations needed to learn the his spell of choice.

Weeks passed as Tobias practiced on various objects; often having to come up with rather inventive excuses why his sliver fur was singed midnight black in places. After much study, the youth was ready prepared to try the spell on himself. In the shadow of a moon less night, he combined the ingredients and spoke aloud the words needed to activated he spell.

It was only by his own panicked screams that his life wasn't forfeit.

Calista arrived in the nick of time to save the boy from being literally shredded at the molecular level as the spell inverted on itself. Casting a quick counter-incantation, the She-Kat collapsed the teleport bubble and watched the boy land with a sickening thud.

Sobbing in her arms, Tobias clutched onto the Queen, duly upset by the horror he had experienced. Despite his gratitude for her help, he couldn't look her in the eye for he knew she was furious beyond measure. Upon her demand to know why he tried such a foolish act, the boy could only reply with the truth; he wanted to be a better page. Knowing he wasn't as strong or as fast as the other boys who served in the Royal Court, Tobias felt if he could do something none one else could he would finally be seen as a worthy addition to her staff.

Stunned by the young Kat's desire to help even with such risk to overcome, Calista thanked him for his thinking of others. However, her anger at being blatantly disobeyed was not easily forsaken nor was he totally forgiven. For the next fortnight, Tobias was grounded after sundown to his room with no visitors or knight training allowed at all. Only his studies kept him entertained until bed, and the Queen made sure his work was done and done properly. And in perhaps the most ironic of punishments, Tobias found out he couldn't physically tolerate teleportation spells without 'blowing chunks' as his Father called it.

Her final words on the matter--"doing the wrong thing, even for the right reason, is an evil unto itself; as dark and costly as any outright villainy'-- stayed with him to this day, 400 years in the future.

Staggering to his feet, Tobias turned and blanched again, only this time as the full horrors of the battlefield came into view. Dark Kat's ship floated there, akin to a carrion predator, waiting to scavenge the land below after the battle was over. Craters and small fires littered the parking lot and woods surrounding MegaTron Labs as the firefight knew no containment or boundary. A ragged mix of Enforcer and Security personnel continued the struggle against the Dark Lord; various energy beams and shells impacting against the hull of the flying warship.

A gleam of sunlight off metal caught the young knight's eye, and he gasped in astonishment as a large metal suit-roughly in the shape of a Kat-circled around the aircraft. Looking as it had both gave and taken shot for shot, Tobias could tell from even here the damage was taking its toll. Wisps of smoke exited cracks in the suit's armor, and he could only guess the hell the pilot was facing from temperatures inside. Whoever that Kat was, Tobias hoped to meet him face-to-face once the battle was over.

A loud explosion forced Tobias back to the ground, where a large crater had just formed about a hundred feet away. Gasping as he saw a form flying through the air, he took off at full speed as the body landed in some tall grass, off to one side of the parking lot. Reaching the spot the knight immediately checked for a pulse, but pulled his paw away when he realized the Enforcer who lay before him was dead before he hit the ground.

The jagged piece of metal through the tan Kat's skull saw to that.

"By the Goddess.." he whispered, frozen for a moment as it had been too long since he had seen death in battle. Soon, however, the old instincts kicked in and Tobias reached over to read the name tag of the fallen solider. The Kat's name is...had been... Lieutenant Taylor. Reaching up, the youth gently closed the eyes of the fallen warrior and brought his paw up and did a small cross upon his chest, eyes then closing in a Warrior's Prayer.

"Dear Goddess, whom we all owe our life and soul, please accept this solider into your Majestic Kingdom. Take from him his pain and suffering, and let him see those long gone anew. Welcome him as a warrior and let his spirit soar amongst his brethren who he joins with Honor. Comfort his family and loved ones in their time of grief, and let your bountiful grace heal their despair as the days pass. In the name of the You and Your Daughter, praise be given...".

Pausing for a moment more, Tobias opened his eyes and gingerly began to take a few of the items from his fallen comrades ammo belt. "Forgive me my brother, but I too have a duty that I must fulfill and I can not do that without the means that you can provide..." he quieted for a moment, taking several flash and tear gas grenades. Another pouch yielded a collapsible baton while one more provided the time-lost knight a boon he had not considered: a black ski mask. He hesitated on putting the mask on but knew that he had no choice; he would need to tell the Princess of his mission at some point--of that he had no doubt.

But for Jace and Kassie to find out his true identity after all this time was a revelation he never wanted to happen. He had been living a lie for nearly two decades and he would need to maintain that subterfuge for the rest of his life.

Slipping on the garment, Tobias Jake Furlong, adopted son of Chance Furlong, stood ready. On one side, the dark foe that defined his existence; the reason that Calista and Jake had gave up their only daughter to live in this day and age. One the other...somewhere in the chaos...was Princess Calico herself. Drawing the baton and expanding it to full, he locked the weapon into place.

"I am here, my Princess!" he called out to the air, eyes narrowing as he surveyed the battlefield. " In defense of all that is Just and in the name of Calista herself, let the battle be joined!"

The radio officer ran up, panting for breath as Steele stepped out of his car, blaster drawn. "Commander...Commander Steel!"

Looking around, the Enforcer blinked as he spotted the golden-hued Kat waving him down. "What!?" he called over the din as him, Kassie and the others that arrived with him sought refuge behind his car as a shell passed by overhead to impact in the woods behind them.

"Incoming message from Flight One Sir!"

Steele blinked. Flight One was the main control hub for all Enforcer aircraft. Normally any transmissions would go to an aircraft on scene and relayed to the top officer involved. For a message to be sent directly to the field must be of major importance.

"What's the message?!" he shouted back.

"Company's coming Sir! Mach 4 and closing. They just buzzed the base and radioed a warning to all Enforcer units!"

"Why would Dark Kat's back-up radio a warning??"

"It...it wasn't Dark Kat or any super-villain we know of Sir.."

"Then who was it? What did they say?"

Any answer the communications office could give was lost as a massive explosion ripped through the air, the E.X.O-Kat now reeling out of control and it spiraled down onto the ground, bouncing with enough force to send it along the asphalt like a rock skimming the surface of a lake.

"Feral!" shouted Steel, as he started to run over towards the fallen warrior but was stopped by Kassie.

"David, look out!" she yelled, plowing into her commander with enough force to knock him out of the way of the small caliber fire that erupted from the airship. A large holographic image of Dark Kat appeared as the battle paused.

"Foolish Feral! Did you really think you were going to win against me??" The image flickered, and the Dark Lord glared down at the smoking hulk that had been the E.X.O-Kat. If he felt any surprise at the door was kicked off it's hinges it didn't show on the holographic image.

"I'm..still..alive..Dark Kat.." coughed the battered Mayor of Megakat City. David winced, Kassie blanched, and those who arrived with Steele stood transfixed with shock as Feral shakily rose to his feet. A horrific gash in the Kat's forehead leaked blood, the makeshift cloth bandage made from a tear of his jacket was already soaked and unable to hold more. His right arm wasn't in much better shape; several sets of charred cable were bound into a makeshift sling.

"If...you...think I'm beaten you sick psycho, then you've got another think coming!" and with that Feral pulled his sidearm with his good paw and opened fire, causing the rest of the gathered Enforcers to follow suit.

The hologram laughed. "Foolish Feral! You and your pathetic Enforcers are doomed! Enjoy oblivion!!" It was then two large mechanical arms unfolded from the sides of the ship, jagged claws emerging from the tips. With blinding speed the pair of robotic arms streaked towards the downed E.X.O-Kat determined to crush any and all under their unforgiving grasp.

"NO!" shouted Callie, her eyes widening at the scene before her. "I can't let him kill Feral...I can't lose anyone else!" she cried out in a mix of fear and determination as Dark Kat had already taken so much-to lose Feral, even if he wasn't a good friend, would have been more than the young Kat could take. Summoning her inner powers, a new spell-poem began to echo forth...

"Our hearts aligned pour fourth their light..."

But Lighthope was unable to finish as from the sky two...somethings...streaked above her not a hundred feet in the air, forcing her to abandon her spell and duck for cover. It was then the Enforcer's radios crackled into life, each one repeating the same phrase over the emergency broadcast channel..

"Hey Dark Kat! We're having a seafood special on octopus missiles-all you want shoved up your tail!!"

Scrambling to her paws, Callie looked on with shock as the two 'something's' opened up to become multi-pronged missiles, each one looking much like the ocean-dweller of their namesake.

"Could it be...?" whispered the heroine as she realized just WHO used those particular missile configurations.

The gathered Enforcers looked on with shock and awe as the twin weapons grasped the mechanical arms mere yards away from Feral and proceeded to force them back at unnatural angles to their design. Sheering under the tension, both arms shredded off their housing and were shoved harmlessly into the woods outside the battlefield-a massive explosion some seconds later confirmed they would pose a threat no longer.

Inside the hover craft, Dark Kat's closed fist pummeled the console. "BLAST IT! Who did that!?" he bellowed, turning around to grab the nearest Creepling and ended the creature's existence with a violent snapping of it's neck.

The answer to Dark Kat's questions came not with words, but with a deep, thunderous roaring as the skies above the battlefield parted and a black jet erupted from the smoke-filled clouds; the 'chu-chugs' of a pair of cement machine guns blanked the flying fortress with globs of quick drying concrete.

Callie's gaze drifted to the jet as it soared past, trying to gleam some manner of its design. A long, pointed fuselage was the most noticeable, the transparent aluminum cockpit only the tinniest bit brighter than the obsidian blackness of the main body. Widening as it drifted back, a single engine under each wing roared with power, pushing the jet to unheard of speeds. The same housing that covered each engine in back also served as a missile launching shroud in front. Under each wing tip one of two cement launchers spun into action, hitting their target with pinpoint accuracy. The back of the jet ended flush with the engines, two upwards-mounted fins on top slicing through the air with deadly ease.

But it was there-on top the wings-that gave all present pause. Upon each wing was the symbol that could strike fear into the hearts of criminal masterminds and give a beleaguered population hope all at the same time.

A symbol loved by good and feared by evil...

From Dark Kat to Feral, Kassie to David, all muttered the same thing...

"No..."

"it..."

"can't..."

'be!"

But it could, and it was.

The Swat Kats were back!

(To be Continued)

Authors Notes 2: Not being an expert on planes, I based the new Swat Kat jet design (Yes, I've named it..but that's next chapter) on the SR-71 Blackbird stealth fighter. The source image has taken a few liberties with the original design, but it actually makes it more 'Swat Kat-ish' in my opinion.


End file.
